


If This Was Our Last Chance

by TheMonsterGhost



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Blood and Violence, Friends to Lovers, Multi, Porn With Plot, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-10
Updated: 2017-11-08
Packaged: 2018-10-30 09:05:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 19
Words: 62,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10873584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMonsterGhost/pseuds/TheMonsterGhost
Summary: Spoilers for the Stolen Century arc.The IPRE find themselves on a hospitable planet. A quick journey for the Light of Creation doesn't go as planned. Taako and Magnus learn to live without regrets.Slowburn fic with plot.





	1. No Promises

**Author's Note:**

> Explicit rating is for later chapters. Probably won't be the slowest burn in the world but I wanted to practice building tension. Let me know what you think!

Taako’s knees quiver before giving out. He collapses to the dirt, arms still outstretched with magic barely sparking from his fingertips. Magnus spins around with his battleaxe at the ready. The massive wolves surrounding them begin closing in.

“Taako!”

“Out of slots,” he says. His voice is light, like a song. As if he isn’t taking this seriously. And perhaps, knowing that he’ll be stitched back to life once this is all over, he has no need to. But Magnus doesn’t want to die here. Their crew is still waiting for them to come back with the Light of Creation recovered.

Unfortunately, the wolves, although unable to speak, seem keen on keeping that Light for themselves. Despite how many Taako and Magnus managed to take down, they’re still on the offense, ready to kill or die trying. The few that are left snarl and growl as they search for an opening, eyes locked on the weaker one of the two.

Slowly, Magnus begins to inch his way closer to Taako, keeping an eye on as many of the wolves as possible. He knows that they’re aiming to circle around to his back. If he runs, they’ll jump. So he’ll make his way over to Taako slowly… carefully…

“Just go,” says Taako.

“Wh-?! What?!” Magnus exclaims, horrified by the idea of abandoning his friend.

“You need to get the Light back to the ship. If you leave me… it might buy you some time,” Taako explains. He tries again to rise to his feet. It’s a losing battle.

“I’m not leaving you,” says Magnus. “I’m not going to go back just so I can look Lup in the eyes and tell her, yeah, I abandoned your brother. Here’s your fucking Light.”

Taako snaps back, “She’d understand!”

Be it stubbornness or loyalty, or plain stupidity, Magnus refuses. “I’m not going to leave you, Taako.”

The elf makes a frustrated groan, despite the warmth those words leave in his heart. Lup would do the same thing… She’d fight off every last one...

Finally managing to stand on his own two feet, Taako pushes a hand through his hair. Magnus’ back gently comes in contact with his own and the fighter says, “I’ll keep you safe. Just stay behind me.” His muscles tense as he prepares for a fight, the wolves circling in dangerously close.

Taako takes a deep breath and closes his eyes.

His voice is serene when he speaks, “Hey, Magnus?”

“Yeah?”

“…I’m sorry about this.”

Being face-to-face with a pack of angry wolves, each twice the size of a human man, can’t compare to the sinking feeling that settles in Magnus’ stomach. The grip on his axe loosens and he turns just in time to see that Taako is no longer standing behind him. By the time he turns back around, all within a single second, he catches sight of the elf rushing headlong into the pack. His eyes open, his legs shaking, gaze set.

There is nothing Magnus can do but run. Every impulse in his body and his mind are screaming to go back but he knows, he _knows_ , that to stick around would be to waste the sacrifice he was unable to prevent. As soon as the first set of jaws came in, they locked around Taako’s neck and that was it. A choked cry failed to make it all the way out of his lips, silenced by a bubble of blood and spit.

He holds the Light close, wrapped in a red scarf, as he bolts through the dense forest towards the ship. Magus runs for what seems like hours before he finally falls to his knees, gasping for breath.

The scene had become so gruesome so quickly. Magnus covers his face, trying to block it out without success. They tore him apart. Ate him alive. And he couldn’t even scream…

“Dammit…” Magnus mutters, shoulders shaking in fury. “Dammit!”

 

Magnus returns to the ship after walking the rest of the journey. It takes him almost an entire day. The crew gathers to meet him, their expressions grim as they watch Magnus cross the open field alone. They watch him limp halfway before Lup rushes forward, followed closely by Barry and Merle.

He expects to hear her ask what happened to Taako. Instead, Lup asks, “Did you find it?”

Magnus holds up the scarf. Barry retrieves it, confirms that the Light of Creation is recovered, and heads back to the ship. Lup lays a hand on Magnus’ shoulder and Merle lays one on his hip. “Let’s get you patched up, buddy,” says the dwarf.

“…Lup…” Magnus murmurs, “I’m… I’m so sorry…”

She wraps an arm around Magnus’ torso to help stabilize him as they begin making their way back to the Starblaster. She says, “I’m sure it wasn’t your fault, Mags. Don’t worry about it.”

He’s surprised by how well she’s taking it. At least, until he passes Barry in the halls later that night.

“Hey,” says Magnus.

Barry hums a reply.

“You okay?”

“She’s taking it kinda hard,” says Barry. Magnus nods. That makes more sense. “She’s not really the kinda person who uh… Wants comfort in times like these. She just needs to be alone to let it out.”

“Yeah…” Magnus agrees. He claps a hand on Barry’s shoulder. “How about you? How are you getting along?”

He cracks a smile and gives Magnus a small shrug. “Life on this planet is beautiful but… mostly dangerous. We should have studied it more before sending you guys off. To be honest… I feel guilty.”

Magnus raises his brows and immediately shakes his head. “No! No… It’s not… Look, Barry, we can all sit around blaming ourselves but… the best we can do is learn from it. And I don’t know anyone better qualified to learn shit than our resident science nerd.”

Barry chuckles, scratching his forearm bashfully. “Gee, thanks,” he laughs. “Ah… You’d think we’d have it figured out by now.”

Magnus says, “I don’t think there’s ever going to be a perfect formula. It’s a new experience every time. Gotta just… roll with what you’ve got!”

“Right.”

They give each other a firm nod and Magnus pats his shoulder. They part ways, retiring to their respective rooms. Magnus tries to take his own advice. He tries to not blame himself and wait for next time… But the year isn’t over. He sits on it for nearly six months. Things seem quieter without Taako around, even though he tends to keep to himself. But there has long since come a point that the crew became a sort of family. Any missing piece makes an incomplete picture.

The Hunger comes. They have the Light, so the world won’t be entirely destroyed, but a vindictive part of Magnus hopes that the wolves that attacked them are slaughtered. He doesn’t say it out loud but he doesn’t need to. 

 

When they’re all threaded back to their original positions, all eyes fall on Taako. He blinks wildly, grabbing his head. “Hachi machi,” he gasps, remembering his own painful death, just moments ago from his perspective.

Lup’s arms fly around him.

“Good to have you back, Taako,” says Merle.

Taako hugs his sister. “Aw, did you guys miss me? You must have been bored out of your minds without me around, huh?”

He faces Magnus, who seems unbelievably happy to see him. Taako grins.

“That was fucked up,” Magnus laughs.

“I learned it from watching you,” teases Taako. “C’mere, big guy.”

They briefly embrace, Taako giving Magnus a few pats on the shoulder as the larger man squeezes him tight.

Davenport lands the Starblaster on their new “home.” The land to water ratio is almost completely half and half, with a slight favor towards water. A significant portion of the planet is tropical and harkens back to the beach planet where Taako learned to surf and Barry learned to swim. There is one stark difference, however: sentient life.

They land on a stretch of beach outside of a small but lively village and are immediately greeted by nervous citizens. They’re humanoid; almost indistinguishable from mankind as the crew knows it.

Taako, Lup, and Barry set out together. From day one, they have been the experts on matters of greeting indigenous life and language translation. To their surprise, however, no translation is needed. The villagers speak perfect Common. The spiritual leader of the village, an elderly witch, encourages the citizens to celebrate the presence of these strangers. She states that a good fortune is upon them. And with that blessing, the seven of them are welcomed into the village.

Seeing Taako chatting with Lup as if nothing happened sets Magnus at ease. It isn’t the first time any of them have dealt with that sort of loss. He’s been through it himself; dying and then waking up good as new (albeit a black eye) aboard the Starblaster. What else can you do other than move forward?

“You know,” says Taako to the old witch, keeping his voice down, “I hate to say it, but the fact that we’re here isn’t exactly good news.”

To which she replies, “A good fortune is upon you, yes. A great and terrible curse follows, this is true. But this curse will come whether or not you mean us harm. We may as well rejoice while we still have the time.”

Magnus steps in, “We’re trying to stop it. We’re here to help.”

The witch lays a hand over Magnus’ knuckles, patting him gently. She says, “I know, child. But we still have time. For now… set your worries to rest and find comfort here. You have long needed it.”

He looks to Taako, not expecting the fact that Taako is looking right back at him. They each turn away, Magnus ashamed to be caught staring and Taako embarrassed to have been caught at all.

Lucretia follows Merle as he boldly begins to ask the villagers questions about life on their planet, happily taking down notes. Davenport meets with the village chief and discusses possible boarding arrangements or, at least, concerns regarding the placement of their ship. Lup and Barry wander off, staring at the sky and pointing out stars as they begin to appear.

There are two suns in this sky. Both of them are setting. It reminds Magnus of home.

 

“You should dance with her.”

“Oh, god, no, are you kidding? As if I don’t embarrass myself around her enough already.”

Magnus chuckles, shoving Barry’s shoulder towards the bonfire. Davenport sits beside the village chief; they seem to get along famously despite the lack of verbal communication. The rest of the crew is dancing with the villagers, dressed in the airy and vibrant clothes offered to them.

“C’mon, look, even Lucretia’s up there!” urges Magnus.

Barry averts his gaze from Lup momentarily to appreciate how far Lucretia has come. She’s still reserved but she’s become significantly less timid. Years of socializing with locals and writing down personal, intimate stories have pulled her out of her shell. Her ability to understand and empathize with people across multiple universes has helped her free herself from the anxieties she started with. It warms Barry’s heart to see her laughing and spinning with a group of strangers. Perhaps he could learn to do away with his own anxieties, as well.

He returns his attention to Lup just in time to see her make a running leap over the bonfire, the flames billowing high after her. The villagers gasp in awe as she commands the fire to dance for her.

“Wow…” he murmurs, resting his chin on his hand. Magus nudges him and he laughs, forcing himself to stand up. “Alright, alright.”

“That’s it!” Magnus exclaims.

“Hand me that skin,” Barry says, pointing to the waterskin lying at Magnus’ side. It’s full of alcohol. They haven’t been able to determine what it is, exactly, but it’s strong and clear and burns like hell going down. Nonetheless, Magnus hands it over. “Liquid courage…” says Barry.

Magnus eggs him on, “Bottoms up!”

Barry takes a hearty swig. Once it’s down, he jerks the waterskin away from his face as if it’s offended him, coughing into the crease of his elbow. “Holy shit… Oh, it’s awful…!”

Magnus laughs and takes the skin back, downing a swig for himself. As he recovers from the burn, he sweeps his hand in Lup’s direction. “Go get her!” he says.

Barry takes a deep breath and strides across the sand to meet Lup. She notices him immediately and snatches him up, laughing as his feet move clumsily after her.

Magnus smiles and leans back on his elbows. Casually, his gaze moves across the crowd. He’s surprised when he doesn’t find--

“Looking for someone to dance with?”

“Oh! There you are, Taako!”

The elf smirks, placing his hands on his hips. “Were you looking for me?”

“Oh, ah, no, not… I just noticed you weren’t up there, is all.”

“Mmhmm.”

Taako plops onto the sand next to Magnus, plucking the waterskin from his hands. Magnus watches as he throws his head back to take a long drink. How he manages to take more than a single gulp is astounding. Magnus mutters, “Impressive.”

Taako corks the skin and sets it between them. “You didn’t answer my question.”

“Which one?”

“Are you looking for someone to dance with? You worked so hard to get Barold out there, tripping over his two left feet, but I don’t see _you_ jumping up to make a fool of yourself.”

Magnus shrugs, a goofy smile on his face. “I’m sorta wing-manning it!” he bluffs.

“He doesn’t need a wingman. They’re practically a _thing_ already,” replies Taako, not convinced in the least. He leans in close, soft dirt crunching beneath him as his body draws closer to Magnus. “What’s on your mind?” he asks.

It’s a shockingly sincere and personal question coming from Taako. Magnus glances at the waterskin and considers whether or not the elf is drunk. He’s always been fairly good at hiding it.

“Just… you know… Finding the Light. Saving everyone from the Hunger. The usual,” he says. It’s a half-truth and Taako can see right through it. But he gives a lazy smile and plays the fool.

“Right,” he says, turning his attention to the bonfire. “…Everyone’s really letting loose out there. This is usually the best time to forget about that stuff for a while… you know?”

Magnus sighs gently. Sure, it’s true. He should be out there enjoying himself. A part of him really wants to. He would love to forget about the concerns clawing at the front of his mind. But he hasn’t felt right all day. Or for the last six months, for that matter. He turns to Taako and is taken aback when he sees that Taako is staring at him.

“I…” Magnus bites his lip. The first word of a string of thoughts has tumbled out and he can feel the rest bubbling up. And Taako is waiting for it, staring at him with a calm, inscrutable expression. It’s concerning how well they know each other. All those years must count for something.

He says, “I missed you, Taako. We all did.”

Taako smiles. He gives a nonchalant shrug and says, “Figures. Who else is gonna cheat you clowns out of all your fake money on poker night?”

“I’m serious, Taako,” Magnus murmurs, pulling his legs up to cross them. “I started to think, like… There’s no guarantee that we come back every time, you know? What if it was the last time any of us ever would ever see you… and we wouldn’t even know for sure until months later… It sucks thinking that maybe you should start mourning, just in case, but you can’t because you have to hold out hope until you know for sure…”

He’s relieved to see Taako is still paying close attention. All too often, he seems to lose interest in conversations like these, finding some excuse to excuse himself. Instead, he’s watching Magnus carefully. “I’m supposed to be the protector,” Magnus says quietly, “And… I really appreciate what you did, Taako, don’t get me wrong. That was really brave of you. But I wish I could have…” He sighs, dragging a hand through his auburn hair. He spent six months rationalizing that there was no point in should haves, could haves, would haves. Yet, still…

Taako lays a hand over Magnus’, leaning in close enough that their shoulders touch. He shakes his head slowly and says, “Don’t beat yourself up, darling, it doesn’t suit you.”

Magnus glances at him and smiles when Taako adds, “You should save the beating up for the bad guys. You’re good at that.”

It’s a nice sentiment. Magnus mulls over his thoughts as Taako patiently waits for the words to come out. At last, he requests, “Can you promise you won’t do that again? I’m super not okay with you guys sacrificing yourselves for me.”

Taako teases him, “Mmm, you’d rather it be the other way around, I _know_. Big, buff hero-man.” The elf smirks and gives a wistful sigh. He says, “Wish I could, my man, but in this line of work, promises are a no-go. Now, if you’re asking me to try and stay away from a murderous pack of wolves if given the chance, then yeah, I can assure you I’ll be trying my fucking best.”

Magnus laughs. He says, “That’s fair,” and stands up to dust himself off. He didn’t realize Taako’s hand was still on his until he feels its warmth fall away. “I guess I just had to uh… get that off my chest.”

“Feeling better, then?”

“Yeah.”

Taako nods, brushing himself down. “Good. You were starting to bum me out and I’m just trying to have a good time.”

“Sorry,” says Magnus, still smiling. He follows Taako as the elf leads the way back into the fray. They glance at one another when they realize Lup and Barry have already run off together. Additionally, they catch the eyes of their fellow teammates who have the same realization and wry smiles on their faces. Merle gives a subtle thumb up, which Taako reciprocates.

They dance until they’re dizzy, either from all the spinning or all the booze. Towards the end of the night, giggling and tipsy, Lucretia taps on Magnus’ shoulder. She points out Merle, passed out near a log that he failed to sit on. They take that as their cue and Magnus carries the dwarf back to the ship. They all sleep soundly.

For Magnus, it’s the first time in months.


	2. Sweet Tooth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang spends some quality time together.  
> Explicit rating is for later chapters. This one was a ton of fun to write. Let me know what you think!

Morning arrives. The crew gathers, one by one, into the kitchen. They follow the smell of breakfast cooking and the twins humming in unison. Magnus is the last to arrive. He spots Lucretia enjoying a breakfast tea, clearly trying to hide the kick she gets from sitting beside Merle. The dwarf has his head on the table and a hand cupped loosely around a glass of water. She nudges him and he groans, lifting his head just enough to take a few sips before lying back down.

Barry is attacking a plate of waffles with locally picked berries, spewing compliments between bites. Taako coughs into his arm whilst muttering, “Kiss ass!” Lup shoves her brother playfully and laughs whilst Barry clams up and turns red in the face.

Davenport is perfectly collected, as usual. He’s already cleared his plate and is finishing his cup of coffee when Magnus enters the kitchen.

“Morning,” says Magnus. The room acknowledges him and he politely gathers up Davenport’s used plate as he makes his way to the sink.

He washes off his favorite mug, which is only ever in the sink or in his hands.

“Coffee’s still fresh,” says Lucretia.

“Can you get me a cup, too?” asks Merle, muffled by the table.

“You need _water_ ,” Taako insists. Merle grumbles. Magnus fetches him a cup, regardless.

“What’ll it be, Burnsides?” asks Lup, flipping a pancake nearly two feet off the pan before catching it on a plate. It lands perfectly on a steamy stack.

Just seeing that plate piled with pancakes is enough to get Magnus’ appetite going. He says, “Well, _that_ looks great. I’ll have ten, please.”

Taako laughs, knowing full well that Magnus intends to devour each and every one. “You’re sure you don’t want fifteen? Twenty?”

“I’d also like bacon,” he says, pouring two cups of coffee. He already knows how Merle likes his made.

“You got it,” says Lup, tossing a few strips of bacon onto a pan. The sizzle has Magnus’ mouth watering. “Take these to Drunkie over there, would you?”

Magnus leaves his coffee on the counter in order to bring Merle his mug and his plate of pancakes. With a grunt, the dwarf lifts his head. “Thanks, you guys, you’re all the best,” he says, a tired smile on his face.

Magnus takes a seat at the table and reflects on how good it is to have everyone together again. It’s good to see the twins working side by side and everyone is alive and there is still so much hope left. There’s so much reason left to persevere and find a way to one day, finally, stop the Hunger. Looking around at all of the smiling and serene expressions on the faces of his loved ones, it’s easy for Magnus to forget everything bad that’s happened or is likely to happen in the future. He feels, without a doubt, that they can take on anything the universe has for them.

Taako appears at Magnus’ right side with a plate of pancakes and another plate covered in bacon, sausage, eggs, and toast. Lup approaches his left with his coffee mug in her hands. “You left this on the counter,” she says. A quick flash of magic heats it back up and she sets it down with a wink.

“Magnus are… you okay?” asks Barry. All eyes turn and Magnus flushes from his nose to his ears. He didn’t realize it until Barry spoke up but tears well up in his eyes and streak down his face. He laughs nervously as he rubs them away.

“I uh… Oh dag,” he chuckles, “I just love you guys. And I know we’re gonna get it right. I just know it.”

There is a beat of silence as the crew continues to stare, amused and touched. Merle is the first to break the silence, chiming, “Yeah, that’s the spirit Magnus!”

“Aw, that’s… That’s real sweet of you,” says Barry.

Lup and Taako share a glance as they each lay a hand on Magnus’ shoulders.

Taako says, “Alright, you big softie, no tears at the breakfast table. Or else we’re taking away your bacon privileges.”

Magnus pouts as his peers share a laugh. “Nooo!”

 

Life goes on. The crew finds their niche in the new world, studying and working and learning. Magnus spends the first few weeks shaping up and becoming friendly with the locals. Taako and Lup learn about the plant life and surrounding areas. Namely, they learn about food and fashion. Together, they study the culinary and fashion arts of the area until they manage to weave incredible, airy garments and cook delicious meals using local produce and techniques. Soon, their rooms are filled with viable assets to help them pass through any village with ease.

Eventually, the Light falls through the sky like a shooting star. Lup buries herself in her work alongside Barry to triangulate its position. Taako busies himself by gifting outfits to his team.

Magnus spots him standing nearby, leaning against a palm tree, during one of his workout sessions. He wipes the sweat from his brow and goes to meet him. “Hey, Taako! Did you need something?”

The elf glances up from inspecting his nails. “Hmm? Oh, hey, Magnus. Didn’t see you there.”

There is no one else around. Magnus scrunches his brow in disbelief. Taako doesn’t acknowledge it. He says, “They’re getting together a retrieval team. If you wanted to tag along, now might be a good time to let them know.”

Magnus exclaims, “Oh! Shit, already?”

“Mmyep. Apparently, the Light didn’t fall too far. One of the villages up north already let us know they got it.”

“Wow, that’s a lucky break.”

Taako is back to inspecting his nails. They’re perfectly maintained. He hums, “Yeah, shouldn’t take more than a couple days to get over there. So…”

Magnus looks at Taako’s nails, wondering if there’s anything on them. “So…? Are you going, Taako?”

“Oh, hell no,” says Taako, “I had enough fun on the last one. Taako’s good right here.”

Magnus laughs at that. He nods and says, “Yeah. Sounds like it’ll be a pretty uneventful trip. I think I’ll stick around here.”

“Really?” Taako asks, raising a brow. He seems to be surprised. Magnus shrugs.

“Yeah, I mean… If they’re not expecting any trouble, I’d rather stay and watch the ship.”

“Hm. Alright. Well. As long as you don’t go trying to keep me on my toes by popping out of dark corners, that’s fine by me,” says Taako, giving Magnus a pleased smile. He can’t explain why it makes him feel giddy to have Taako look at him like that. Like he made the right decision.

“No promises,” says Magnus. Taako rolls his eyes, giving him a playful shove.

“Don’t you have like… a hundred more crunches to do?”

Magnus looks at his gut and asks, “What? Why?”

When he looks up again, Taako is already heading back to the ship. His hair is getting longer, Magnus notices. It catches in the breeze and he has a hard time looking away.

 

Half of the team departs for the Light. Davenport, Taako, and Magnus stay behind. Lup and Taako carefully fold their extravagant hand-made clothes and wrap them in paper made from palm leaves. The plan is to trade them for the Light, if need be, although the elderly witch from the village assures them that the blessing they have from the village chief will be more than enough.

The four of them take on four villagers and after an afternoon meal, the eight of them depart. A crowd has gathered on the outskirts of town to wish them luck. Taako stands by Magnus’ side, watching as his sister disappears into the tropical woods. He crosses his arms over his chest and tries to hide how anxious it makes him to be apart. But it’s no secret from anyone in the IPRE.

“They’ll be back before you know it,” says Magnus.

“I know,” he replies. But he smiles and takes a deep breath. With more assurance, he repeats, “I know.”

Davenport clears his throat near the two of them to gain their attention. Once he has it, he says, “The chief and I have a few matters to discuss. I’ve explained the benefits of the Light so we’d like to work together in order to better the village and prepare for the Hunger before we leave. I’d like the two of you to watch the Starblaster. She could use a diagnostics check.”

“Got it,” says Magnus.

“Sure, thing,” says Taako.

They make their way back to the ship. When they’ve passed through town and begin the stretch across the beach, Taako sighs. It’s a telling sound. Magnus lays a hand on the small of his back and says, “Hey. It’ll be totally fine. If you wanna talk about it or like… talk about something else to get your mind off of it, I’m here for you.”

Taako regards him. He quickly decides there’s no use in hiding it and he forces himself to smile. “Mm. Am I that obvious?”

Magnus shrugs. He knows Taako’s image is important to him so he tries to brush it off. “No,” he says, “I mean, I’m worried about them, too. Anything could happen. We all know that.”

“Yeah,” says Taako, “You’re right. I’d rather um… Let’s talk about something else. I’m not about to mope for the next few weeks.”

With an amused laugh, Magnus says, “Alright. Uhh… Never have I ever?”

It’s a game they’ve played a thousand times. Taako shoves him and says, “Shut the fuck up,” earning a hearty laugh out of Magnus. It’s a contagious laugh. Always has been. “Pick something else.”

“Arm wrestle?”

Taako makes an incredulous sound with his lips, rolling his eyes. “Oh, yeah, sure, let me just bust out the big guns,” he says sarcastically, flexing his arm. Magnus gives the muscle and appraising squeeze.

“Oh wow,” he says, “It’s almost like you use magic to move shit around!”

Taako tucks his arm back at his side, leveling a smirk at his companion. They climb aboard the Starblaster and shut the doors behind them, heading to the helm. The diagnostics check is just a few buttons away but it’ll put the ship on reserve power for the next few hours. They start the process and wordlessly head to the deck, as if they had agreed to go there. 

When the two of them are seated, they look to the sky.

A chill runs through them as eyes stare back, unblinking and full of malice. Taako grabs Magnus’ hand, squeezing tight.

They watch as the Hunger scouts for the Light and then disappears. It isn’t until every pair of eyes has left the sky that the two of them exhale. They decide to not talk about it. It’s just part of the process. The never-ending process with no clear way out. Taako turns his gaze to the north, biting his lip.

“…They’ll be back soon,” he says, mostly to himself.

Magnus nods, giving Taako’s hand a reassuring squeeze.

 

A calming, computerized voice comes on over the ship’s speakers, “Diagnostics complete. Please view Captain’s Log for detailed report.”

Taako and Magnus sit at the kitchen table, building a house out of cards. Taako says, “Ugh. Finally,” as the lights go from dim to their usual brightness. Magnus squints uncomfortably.

The elf sits up and goes to put a saucepan of milk on the electric stove. “Taako’s gettin’ on that hot cocoa life. How’s about you?”

“Hot chocolate? Hell yeah,” says Magnus. The suns have long since set but they’re wired. It feels like some kind of sleepover, just the two of them on the ship. It seems so spacious without the rest of the crew.

Taako prepares two mugs, gathering the essentials. Salt, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and, of course, cocoa. Magnus watches, feeling particularly amazed at all of the work that goes into making a decent cup of hot chocolate. Plain hot water and powder has always been his way of doing it. Maybe throw in a handful of marshmallows and voila.

The ingredients come together and Taako finishes off the two mugs of hot chocolate with whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg. He sets them on the table and the smell, alone, makes Magnus think of a snowy Candlenights evening. “Thanks, Taako,” he says, holding the mug close to his face so he can savor the scent.

“Don’t mention it,” he responds, letting the warmth of the cup seep into his palms. “I’ve kinda got this sweet tooth going on right now. I should have made some beignets.”

“What’s that?” asks Magnus. Taako cocks a brow.

“I’m sure I’ve made them before…” he says but he doesn’t seem convinced. He hums thoughtfully. “Maybe. They’re just um… It’s a pastry. Like a fritter. Really sweet.”

Magnus sips his hot chocolate, shaking his head.

“No? Hum. Well. I’ll just have to make you some, then,” he decides, blowing on his drink to give it a sip.

“Can you teach me?” asks Magnus.

“Right now?”

Magnus shrugs. “Sure! Why not?”

Taako glances at the time and then at the kitchen. He shrugs, too, and says, “Alright. Sure. Why not! Fuck it, let’s make beignets! Just for the two of us.”

“And Cap’n Port.”

“No, fuck Cap’n Port, he’s probably blowing the village chief he can go fuck himself. No beignets for nobody.”

Magnus bursts into laughter from the moment Taako says, “No.” The elf is pleased with the reaction his playfully spiteful attitude elicits. He stretches and stands, bringing his mug to the counter. Magnus follows, watching curiously as Taako hops onto the counter and casually kicks his legs back and forth.

“Alright, Maggie, I’ll teach you. But here’s how this is going to go down: I’ll give you all the directions and you do all the work. You up for it?”

The way he words it poses the task as a challenge, which gets Magnus excited. He beams, nodding enthusiastically. “Just tell me what to do!” he says. And with a delighted grin, Taako begins with the ingredients. He giggles as Magnus scurries around the kitchen, looking way too hard for confectioner’s sugar and yeast. When he asks where they are, Taako tells him to just keep looking.

It’s a long process. Most of the time goes into waiting for the dough to chill. They spend that time together in Taako’s room where Magnus asks him hundreds of questions about cooking and magic.

Taako entertains his questions, watching as the lights shine behind Magnus’ eyes. He’s so enthusiastic and full of life. When he isn’t going out of his way to annoy the piss out of the entire crew, his company is actually quite nice.

Upon having that thought, Taako’s chest gets tight and he feels a warmth spread from his heart to his fingertips. The words rushing from Magnus’ lips become white noise as his vision narrows. All he sees is Magnus, his hands gesticulating and his smiling lighting up the room. Their eyes meet and Taako is so entranced, he doesn’t think to turn away. Magnus stops talking, unsure of what to make out of Taako’s expression.

“Um…? Did I say something wrong?” he asks with a nervous chuckle.

Taako blinks rapidly, suddenly realizing that he’d been staring. “Hm? Oh, no, I was just so engrossed in your story. You were talking about… um… how Merle uh…”

“Merle?”

Taako leans his cheek on his hand, elbow on his knee. He says, “Yeah, you remember when Merle tried to make breakfast and he nearly burned the place down? Didn’t have his eyebrows for the rest of the year. Hilarious.”

Magnus makes a face. He’d been talking about his new and improved exercise regime. He debates on whether or not to press the subject but he fails to come to a decision by the time Taako hops to his feet. “We’re probably ready to finish making those beignets. So…”

He motions to the door. Magnus relents. “After you,” says Taako, following Magnus back to the kitchen.

Whilst the elf instructs Magnus on the final touches of his pastries, he makes them both a café au lait to pair. They don’t bother sitting at the table; Taako remains on the counter and Magnus is fine with standing. They bite into their beignets and sip their coffee, complimenting each other. “You take direction well,” says Taako, “You’d make a great sous-chef.”

“You think?” asks Magnus, terribly flattered.

Taako pops another pastry into his mouth and hums in satisfaction. “Mm-hmm, oh, for sure, my guy. I might just have to show you off to the rest of the gang when they get their asses back here.”

The flush on Magnus’ cheeks at the idea isn’t lost to Taako. He grins, crossing one leg over the other and sipping his coffee. They finish their sweets over a casual talk regarding the benefits of teaching the villagers how to surf. Magnus, too, would like to learn. With a scoff, Taako clears the kitchen, insisting that Magnus leave it to him. “But I made such a huge mess,” he mutters from the kitchen table, watching as Taako cleans a flour spill.

“Don’t worry about it. You should probably get some sleep, if anything.”

Magnus _is_ tired but he isn’t willing to admit it. He huffs, cheek in his palm and eyes half-opened. He’s already half asleep by the time Taako has the counters spotless. The elf taps Magnus gently and then leads him back to his own bedroom. “Goodnight, Magnus,” says Taako.

“Mmn. Night.”

It feels lonely without him but the sleep is good. One of the best he’s ever had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has fanart! Thank you so much!  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/11540955


	3. River Rock

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something is amiss. Things are getting a little more mysterious... and a little more heated, too.  
> Still more to come. Let me know what you think!

Three weeks pass. Villagers start to become antsy, concerned with the whereabouts of the travel party. Taako, too, seems distant, eyes always glued to the north. He distracted himself well enough by teaching Magnus the basics of cooking and using him as a guinea pig for his own experimental dishes up until the third week mark. Magnus asks what they’ll be making and Taako waves him away, not in the mood. The fighter attempts to make him a decent brunch, regardless, but it sits untouched.

“They probably just got caught up,” Magnus offers, taking a seat next to Taako on the deck of the Starblaster. “These people are really nice. They’re probably just getting wasted and having dance parties.”

Taako says, “I’m not that worried about it, my man. Just catching a few rays, no need to pep talk me.”

Magnus raises a brow but Taako doesn’t bother acknowledging it. He stretches his limbs and tries to seem as languid and relaxed as possible.

He’s about to press the subject when he spots Davenport dashing across the sand from the village to the ship. He stands and leans over the railing, waving his arm. “Hey, Cap’n Port!” Taako’s ears twitch and he sits up, a hopeful anxiety fluttering in his chest. As the captain draws closer, their hearts begin to sink.

The gnome is distraught, sprinting as if the Hunger was hot on his heels. Magnus and Taako move to greet him at the door, making it in time to see him bent over, hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath.

“So-something’s wrong,” he gasps. “Correspondence has stopped and the messengers haven’t come back. The…” He huffs, dragging a palm across his sweaty brow. “The village is missing six people. Four from the travel party, two messengers.”

It is only in that moment that Taako notices the captain clutching a piece of fabric. He points to it and before he can ask, Davenport is holding it up for Taako’s inspection. The elf takes it and is immediately aware of the magic clinging to it and the origin of the pattern. It’s a piece of Lup’s clothing, singed with a burning hands spell. “Fuck…” he mutters, gripping the scrap of fabric tight.

Magnus lays a hand on his shoulder, gaze set on his captain. “What do you think we should do?” he asks.

Davenport stands upright, taking deep breaths and scratching his chin. He says, “I’ll need you two to go looking for them. But there’s no way for us to know what happened so you’ll have to be careful. Like, _really_ careful.”

He doesn’t need to explain how dangerous it would be if there was only one person left. Their odds of escaping from this plane sliced so thin… Magnus and Taako glance at one another.

“They’re demanding answers out there so I need you two on your way as soon as possible,” says Davenport. “The village you’re looking for is about a five to six day walk from here. Because this is a _stealth_ mission, it may take longer. I’m going to stay and make sure everyone here is appeased. If you need to fall back, do it. Your survival is priority.”

“Understood,” says Magnus. Taako nods; he’s already formulating plans and considering worst-case scenarios.

They pack lightly for the journey. On their way through the village, a woman stops the pair and begs for them to bring her son home. Magnus promises. Taako keeps walking.

Together, they breach the woods and leave the village behind.

Sunlight filters in through the trees, bouncing off of vibrantly colored flora and vivacious green bushes. A dirt path leads them from one village to the next, worn down from the traffic of traders and messengers. Only the sounds of the breeze blowing through leaves and the soft crunch of dirt under their heels fill the silence for what seems like hours.

Magnus uses that time to plan. Normally, he’d want to rush ahead and come to the immediate aid of his friends. But there was still a chance that they were misinterpreting the situation. He tries to hold out hope that they’re all safe. Maybe in a pinch, but safe. If Taako and he are careful, everyone will make it back without any issue. That would be ideal. So he swallows his impulses and repeats the plan to himself. Stay calm, assess the situation, and react rationally…

He’s pulled ahead. Once the distance becomes noticeable, Magnus looks over his shoulder and asks, “Everything alright back there, Taako?”

His voice snaps Taako out of his thoughts. He realizes how far behind he’s fallen and jogs to catch up. “You’ve got a wicked stride on you,” he says, giving Magnus’ hip a lighthearted smack once he’s at his side.

“You seem distracted,” says Magnus. “Are you gonna be good…?”

Taako rolls his eyes, brushing his hand in the air. “Come on, this again? I’m _fine_ , homie. Really—“

“I think we should talk about it,” Magnus interjects, “I’d rather us be overprepared, you know? I don’t…” He hesitates but Taako is waiting for him to finish, staring expectantly. Magnus clears his throat and says, “I don’t want to lose you again.”

Taako scoffs.

“I don’t want to lose anyone either, Mags, but shit happens.”

“That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do our best to—“

“You think talking about our feelings is going to help?”

“Yes! I need to know what you’re thinking so we can be on the same page, Taako. We should at least talk about what we’re going to do when we get there.”

The elf crosses his arms over his chest defiantly but his mind gets to work. He says, “I mean, it depends. We don’t know what to expect.”

“So what are you thinking?” asks Magnus gently, “We have plenty of time. Let’s go through some scenarios and make sure we’re ready.”

Taako sighs heavily. He knows it’s a good idea but something about it feels too revealing. As if mentioning the worst case scenarios going through his mind are telling of his nature in a way that is too intimate. It’s like laying out his fears bare on a table, open for closer inspection.

Magnus says, “What if the village is actually full of cannibals and they’re using the Light to get all smart and lure other people to them for consumption?”

The absurdity makes Taako laugh, despite how horrific the imagery is. “You’re telling me they ate my sister and her nerd boyfriend?”

“And Lucretia! They ate her journals, too.”

“But not Merle,” says Taako.

“No, he’s too sweet.”

Taako says, “Psh,” and shakes his head. “I’d say he’s more like a bowl of sour milk and undercooked grits.”

“You’re so mean!” Magnus laughs.

“I’m just saying, _I_ wouldn’t eat him. Now, _you_ on the other hand, Magnus… I’d be worried about you walking into a cannibal village. You’ve got some choice cuts on you.”

Magnus flexes for show and Taako traces the line of his bicep. “Hell yeah, cut me off a piece of that arm steak,” he teases.

Blushing bashfully, Magnus sweeps Taako’s hand away. With a deep sigh, Taako concedes his concerns. They discuss possible scenarios and what they plan to do when faced with them. If they’re forced to split up, they can’t cause any trouble, extenuating circumstances aside. “I mean, if Barry’s got a knife to his throat, then yeah, I say go for it,” says Taako, “But I think it’d be best if we did any ‘charging in’ shit together. Gotta have that backup, you know?”

“Agreed,” says Magnus.

When night falls, Magnus suggests they stop. “I don’t see in the dark as well as you do,” he says.

“Right,” says Taako. With his superior vision, Taako leads them to a decent spot for camping and they quickly build a fire. The surrounding nature is almost as harmless as it is gorgeous, so they spread out blankets and stargaze with hardly a care in the world. Other than the matter at hand, of course.

As they count stars, keeping their thoughts to themselves, Magnus’ stomach growls. He sits up, placing a hand over his gut. Taako is already reaching for their travel bag. “Sounds like it’s time for dinner,” he says, giving Magnus a teasing smirk.

“Guess so,” he chuckles, scooting closer to the fire. “What are we making?”

Taako glances at Magnus upon the word ‘we.’ He says, “I mean, it won’t be anything too fancy. I’m tired as hell, my man. But uh… if you wanna help, then you can start by stroking that fire. Maybe throw in another branch, really get it going.”

Magnus is happy to do so, scavenging the edges of their camp for decent, dry wood and poking the flames until they’re burning high and bright. Taako cuts up a selection of fruits, mushrooms, and meat, skewering them and setting them by the fire.

Finished with his work, Magnus sits by his side, watching the skewers cook. “Anything else I can do?” he asks. Taako smiles.

“So helpful,” he says, “Hm. I was going to give the pineapple and chicken a tangy glaze. But they need to cook a little, first. Just sit tight.”

“Got it.”

Magnus turns to the stars again. “Are they the same every time? Or different…?”

Taako doesn’t need to ask in order to know what he’s talking about. One glance at the sky and he understands. “I think Lup and Barry were working on a star chart, actually,” he says, “I never asked how it turned out.”

“Is that what they’ve been doing on the deck lately?” asks Magnus. Taako rolls his eyes and Magnus laughs. “I bet they’ve been getting a lot of work done,” he says.

“Oh yeah,” replies Taako, “Sooo much work. Just a couple of worker bees, those two. Nothing but work.”

The conversation sinks into another lull. The quiet is comfortable. Taako eventually hands Magnus a skewer, a brush, and a quickly prepared sauce. He’s already taught Magnus what to do and so he simply says, “Take care of this,” and Magnus gets to work. He puts an even glaze over the pineapple and chicken. Taako appraises them, approves, and lets them cook just a little longer before serving alongside accompanying mushroom and pepper skewers.

Magnus devours the majority of them. He catches Taako staring at him as he attacks his fifth (or sixth?) one. The elf has his palm on his cheek and a lazy smile on his face. When he notices that he’s been spotted, he casually looks to the fire but doesn’t say anything. Magnus swallows hard, averting his gaze to his food and ignoring the thrum of his pulse in his ears.

 

The next day is a mostly uneventful trudge through the woods. The density of the trees gets thicker before thinning out again near the end of the day but the two of them spend their time having colorful conversations about the rest of the crew. It’s the lighthearted but deep-cutting shit talk that Taako usually saves for wine night with Lup. It starts with a tentative and invasive question that Taako asks just to see Magnus react, not expecting an answer.

He grins like a cat, mischief evident in his tone, and says, “Sooo…”

Magnus’ lips curl into a charmed smile and he responds, “So?”

Taako asks, with all the casual airs of deciding on colors for curtains, “Barry and his feels aside, ever thought about making the moves on Lulu?”

And Magnus bursts into that contagious laughter, “Come on, Taako! What kind of question is that?”

“How about Cap’n Port? You’ve always _loved_ taking direction.”

“Oh my god, stop,” Magnus snorts.

But Taako presses the questions, hoping to make Magnus squirm. Instead, he starts answering him, keeping his voice down as if it wasn’t just the two of them. And Taako lights up, living for each and every juicy detail. It spirals until the hours fly by, consumed by the sort of talk that could never possibly be repeated. Of course, Taako is only half-sure he’ll keep any of it a secret from Lup. He _has_ to tell Lup.

Gods, he misses Lup.

“I think we’re getting close to one of the villages,” says Magnus. He points out a used trap, built to catch small mammals. The dirt path becomes more apparent, indicating increased foot traffic. Taako nods as Magnus points out the signs.

He says, “So, here’s the thing. We’re not really sure _where_ everyone got held up. Therefore, I’m thinking we get off the road, here. Maybe scope the place out from afar, first. Make sure it’s safe to pass through. Only if we’re certain, then we should stop in and ask some questions.”

“Yeah,” Magnus agrees, “Yeah, yeah, that sounds good. Good thinking.”

Taako smirks proudly and he lays a hand on Magnus’ shoulder. He casts Pass without Trace to ensure that they’re impossible to track. They quickly make their way to the upcoming village and begin scouting from the outskirts, remaining out of sight.

It’s smaller than the one on the beach. The houses are bigger but the modest dirt roads are nearly empty. It’s quiet. Something about the village is unsettling and it only takes a shared glance for Taako and Magnus to acknowledge it.

They study the villagers as they pass through the streets, barely saying a word to one another. Eventually, Magnus leans in close and whispers, “There’s no kids.”

Taako starts to notice it, too. There are no children in sight. They give each other one last troubled glance before deciding to bail. They stick to the edge of town and depart, continuing their way north until the path becomes grassy and empty once more.

Leave crunch under their heels as the spell wears off. The uplifting and blithe mood they’d put themselves in with their crude banter is gone, replaced with an uneasy anxiety.

They try to put as much distance between them and the village as possible. Only when their stomachs pester them do they stop to scavenge for fresh fruit. And then it’s straight back to their uncomfortably quiet adventure.

Unable to make sense of it, Magnus finally speaks up. “What _was_ that?”

Taako shakes his head. “You’d think that old witch would have warned us about that kind of shit,” he mutters.

“Yeah!” Magnus exclaims, “She told us the surrounding villages were like… nice! That place was so…”

“Bleak,” says Taako.

Magnus decides that's a decent word for it. “Bleak,” he agrees. He wonders if they should turn back and attempt to uncover more details until he nearly trips over Taako. The elf has stopped dead in his tracks, gaze affixed to a piece of paper caught in a tree. A pointed branch sticks through the corner of the page and a familiar handwriting covers each face.

“Magnus,” he says, motioning towards it. The fighter nods, quickly climbing the tree to fetch what turns out to be, undoubtedly, a loose page from Lucretia’s journal.

Together, they scan the entry in search for clues. It reads the date, three days after their original departure. She writes that they have finally come upon a village, smaller than the one they came from. The team is greeted warmly there and offered a place to stay. She lists off names, which Taako and Magnus can only assume are the four accompanying villagers they took with them on their journey.

“Look,” says Magnus, “She said, ‘I awoke to a crown of flowers being placed on my bedside and met the eyes of a petite girl. She seems no older than five years of age. Before I could thank her, she bolted from our shared room to rejoin her mother in the kitchen. Apparently, she had taken a liking to me for the similarities in our hairstyles…’”

“Children,” murmurs Taako. He notes that a handful of children are mentioned, siblings and neighbors playing in the streets. The village in the journal sounds almost nothing like the one Taako and Magnus encountered.

“Weird,” says Magnus. They review the page a few more times but gather nothing from it other than the fact that _something_ changed within the three weeks that the entry was originally written. 

Taako tucks the page away and presses onward, Magnus close on his heels and watching their back.

When the suns begin to set, Taako decides to stop at the next available clearing. Magnus insists that they can press on but Taako says, “We don’t know how close the next village is. If it’s anything like the last one, I’d rather not get too close. Let’s save it for tomorrow.”

The reasoning is sound enough that Magnus lets his bag slip from his shoulder and onto the soft grass. He sighs, dragging a hand through his hair. It’s sticky with sweat from walking in the humid air. “I’m gonna look for water,” he says.

Taako points to the southeast and says, “Try starting over there. There was a creek running this direction a few hours back; you might be able to find it.”

Magnus sets off whilst Taako prepares for camp. He plucks berries and fruits along the way, consistently impressed with the bounty the tropical woods has to offer. At least when it comes to produce. Meat is harder to find, for sure.

He picks up on the sound of water and follows it. “Alright, Taako,” Magnus murmurs, coming to a shallow cliff side where a river runs below. He carefully makes his way down and then immediately splashes the cool, clear water over his face. “That is so much better,” he sighs. He dunks his entire head in and then shakes his hair out like a dog. Using a handkerchief, tucked in his pocket, he dabs at his neck and shoulders to clean off the sweat sticking to his skin. He’ll have to take a proper bath later.

When he returns to camp, it’s all set and the first few stars have started to twinkle into existence in the dusky sky.

Taako prods the modest fire he’s built, acknowledging Magnus with a smile. “Found it?” he asks superfluously. It’s clear from the wet hair clinging to Magnus’ face that he found what he had been looking for.

He sits by Taako’s side and says, “It’s a river. The water is super clear. I might wash up down there later.”

“Hm,” says Taako. His eyes dart back and forth as he considers what to make for dinner. He plucks a pot from the side of his pack, enlarging it with a bit of magic. He says, “I should have asked you to bring some of that water back. I was thinking… soup.”

“Soup?”

“Vegetable soup.”

Taako stands and Magnus says, “I can go get it!” But Taako declines.

“Nah. Keep this bad boy goin’,” Taako says, pointing to the fire, “You’re good at that. I’ll be back in a little while.”

He gathers his pack and sets off, leaving Magnus to assume that he intends on filling more than just the pot with water. “Can never have too much water,” he says to himself, settling into his task as the Fire Keeper.

Magnus is serious about his task all for about half an hour. He tosses in a few dry branches and looks over his shoulder, hoping to see Taako on his way back. The suns have already set and the sky goes dark quickly. The moon, however, is nearly full. The light radiating off of it is almost as bright as day. The woods are thick enough to block out the light for the most part but it shines bright through the cracks in the canopy. It’s enough for Magnus to see in the dark and tell that there is no Taako in sight.

An hour passes and he becomes anxious enough to leave his post. He moves their belongings away from the fire and makes his way towards the river.

He sneaks over to the cliff side, sliding down as quietly as possible. Once he reaches the bottom, he peers into the river and his heart gives a massive squeeze.

Taako stands in the middle of the lazy current, his hair cascading down his backside. The soft glow of the moon kisses his bare skin from his cheeks to his collarbones to his chest… his stomach… Magnus covers his mouth and he knows he should look away but…

Taako is inspecting a river rock. It’s perfectly circular and seems to be perfectly smooth, as well. He holds it up to the moon and smiles with satisfaction. Magnus wonders if smooth, round river stones are good as spell components. He wouldn’t know. But he tells himself that it’s curiosity keeping his eyes glued on Taako’s naked body, bathing in the river and the moonlight.

Suddenly, he realizes in all his gawking, he’s forgotten to breathe. Magnus makes the softest of gasps but it’s enough to catch Taako’s attention. The human is frozen in place, stunned stiff by his own shame and embarrassment as Taako’s eyes, wide and shocked, lock onto him.

Neither of them move or speak for the longest time. Gradually, Taako turns to face Magnus head-on, making his face flush bright red. He has trouble swallowing as the elf begins to walk towards him. His hair follows, the tips floating on the water’s surface, fanned out around his hips like a long veil. Magnus has never been so entranced nor as mortified in his life.

Looking ethereal in the moonlight and unfittingly calm given the circumstance, Taako walks from the river to the shore and then stands directly in front of Magnus. The elf watches the bob of his adam’s apple and the futile, silent movement of his lips.

He asks, almost too quiet to hear and in a tone as soft as rabbit’s fur, “Like what you see?”

Magnus feels like he’ll snap in half if he remains locked in that gaze. He adverts his eyes and struggles to get even a single word out.

“You were… I was… Um… Thought maybe you could use some help… With uh…”

“Always so helpful,” says Taako. He reaches out, fingertips brushing against Magnus’ shoulder, but Magnus jerks away as if Taako’s hands are hot to the touch. Or perhaps it is his own skin that has him burning alive.

Taako smiles tenderly, a melodious chuckle rising from his chest. “Don’t worry, Mags, I know you weren’t spying on me,” he says, his voice returning to its casual cadence. “I got distracted. Lookin’ for these.”

He holds up the perfectly round river rock. Magnus gives it another glance and then returns his gaze to the ground.

“Spell components,” says Taako. Magnus nods stiffly in reply. 

The elf rolls his eyes. He trots to the river’s edge and then returns, holding the pot, now full of water. “Here,” he says, “Take this back to camp. I’ll be right behind you.”

Magnus is relieved to do just that. He hurries back to camp as fast as he can without spilling the water. The fire is still alive but it’s died down enough to warrant another handful of branches.

As Magnus tosses them in, he considers how relaxed Taako had seemed. He realizes that the situation would have been a hundred times less awkward if he’d been casual about it, too. They’re both men and they’ve known each other for what feels like a lifetime. They’ve seen each other in the buff _before_ , even. It’s not a big deal. At least, it shouldn’t be.

But the way he looked… Standing in the water with that soft, blue glow on his skin… The wonder in his eyes as he studied a simple, gray rock… And his voice…

Magnus pulls his knees together as blood rushes from his head downward. This is, decidedly, not good.

“Alright, I’m back,” says Taako. He’s dressed in fresh clothes, an outfit he made himself. The loose, thin fabric hangs from him in such a flattering way… Magnus clears his throat. Taako snickers. “What’s up with you?” he asks.

“Nothing. Just. Uh. Sorry. I didn’t mean to walk in on you taking a bath, or looking for spell stuff, or… whatever.”

Taako cocks a brow, setting down his pack and seating himself by the fire.

“No worries, homie. Not a big deal. I’m not even mad.”

Magnus looks at him. He’s already getting dinner started, setting up a stand for the pot to rest on over the fire. He catches Magnus’ gaze and gives him a nonchalant smile. “You good?” he asks. And Magnus can feel the tension easing out of him. All he needs to do is take a deep breath and… Well.

“Yeah,” he says, “Actually… I think I’m gonna go wash off, too.”

Taako makes a joke about spying on him but waves him away. “I’ll be here,” he assures Magnus, “Probably won’t be done by the time you get back, so long as you don’t go looking for impossible rocks. But I’ll just have you peel potatoes or something.”

“Sounds good,” says Magnus. He hurries back to the river, leaves his clothes folded under a tree, and dives under the water. It’s cold now, which is exactly what Magnus wanted. Just like taking a cold shower…

Except he can’t stop thinking about it. He sees Taako standing in front of him with only his long hair to cover him, dripping wet, voice like honey, fingers like fire…

With a hint of shame, Magnus covers his mouth and lets his free hand wander down. He should have answered Taako. When he asked if he liked what he saw, he should have said, “Yes.” When Taako reached out, Magnus should have returned the gesture. He should have wrapped his arms around Taako’s waist and pulled him into a deep, wet kiss.

Magnus’ hand wraps around his cock, painfully erect from all of his fantasizing. With a quiet gasp, he strokes himself with thoughts of Taako in his mind.

It’s not the first time he’s seen Taako’s naked body. But it’s also not the first time Magnus has touched himself to thoughts like these. He tries so hard to avoid admitting it to himself but fuck, how many times has he imagined Taako's body pressed to him...? His voice a confident and quiet purr... his hair tangled between Magnus' calloused hands...

He bites his lip and lets out a shaky breath. He isn’t going to last long, which is fine. He doesn’t want to raise suspicion. Magnus thinks of Taako’s lips on his own and what he must taste like. He imagines beignets and café au laits and maybe something spicy, as well. Like cinnamon. Definitely cinnamon. Magnus sighs, tilting his head back. He imagines Taako’s hands on him, dexterous, gentle, and quick touches. He can see Taako's expression, pupils blown wide with lust and eyes half-lidded, mouth slightly parted with a cocky smirk. He imagines Taako whispering in his ear, words of praise and heated promises. He'll let him get there if he can just hold out a little longer... Just a little bit longer... Good boy.

Magnus fantasizes Taako's mouth pressed to his neck as he says, "You're so good, Maggie. Let me have it."

Magnus' breath hitches and with a muffled groan, he cums in his palm.

Yeah, definitely need a bath after that one.

When he finds the energy, Magnus collects himself and rinses his body from head to foot. By the time he returns to camp, he feels cleansed, mind, body, and soul.

“Better?” asks Taako.

“Yeah,” sighs Magnus. Taako hands him a potato and he gets to peeling.


	4. Little Pearl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter focuses more on some plot. More to come; let me know what you think!

When morning comes, Magnus has all but forgotten his shame from the evening. A good dinner and a restful night’s sleep has him feeling refreshed. After a lion-like yawn and a long stretch, he sits up to find Taako wide awake. A collection of smooth river rocks is set out before him. Twenty-four, to be exact. He holds his hands over them, eyes half-lidded and focused in deep concentration.

Magnus glances at the rocks and witnesses in rapt fascination as runes carve themselves into the rock faces. Each rune is interlaced with gold leaf, transmuted from spare jewelry.

Not wanting to interrupt, Magnus quietly rolls off of his blanket and heads down to the river. He splashes cool water in his face and studies the rocks beneath the utterly clear surface. How in the hell Taako managed to find twenty-four smooth, round rocks is beyond him. He’s either more patient than anyone gives him credit for or he’s got a spell for that.

When he turns to head back to camp, Taako is standing directly behind him, peaking over his shoulder. The yelp that escapes him is an embarrassingly high-pitched sound and he immediately slaps a hand over his mouth. Taako beams at him in pure amusement.

“Damn, I was hoping to get you back,” he chuckles, walking two fingers up Magnus’ arm. He reaches into the water and plucks a palm-sized, lopsided stone from the rock bed.

Magnus laughs it off, scratching the back of his neck. “Good morning to you, too. What were you making?”

“Runes,” says Taako. He gives a nonchalant shrug and, using transmutation, turns the lopsided stone into a smooth rock. Ah.

He hands it over to Magnus. “There you go,” he says triumphantly, “The perfect skipping stone.”

Magnus tosses it in the air, nodding his approval. He glances at the water, lines up his shot, flicks his wrist, and the rock goes skip… skip… skip… skip…

Taako hums. “Hmm! Nice!” Then the wizard leans against Magnus, producing yet another stone from his pocket. He holds it up to the morning light with a fond smile. “You know,” he says, “this one is the only perfect one I managed to find. Got a lot of close ones but… This one…”

Magnus’ adam’s apple bobs and Taako grins. The memory he’d worked so hard to let go came rushing back. Naked in the river, holding that stone up to the moonlight… Shit. Magnus says, “Cool. Are you gonna like… turn it into a rune?”

“Maybe!” Taako chimes. “Or… maybe something _better_. Not sure what, yet… But Taako’s workin’ on something biiig.”

He turns to leave, glancing over his shoulder to entice Magnus into following. Of course he follows. He’s under that wizard’s spell, whether he’s willing to admit it or not.

When they’re close to camp, Magnus snatches Taako up and holds him tight to his chest, covering his mouth with his free hand. The elf goes stiff, struggling to turn his head and face Magnus with a “what the hell are you doing” expression. But Magnus is staring straight ahead, holding his breath. He’s listening intently. So Taako relaxes, mimicking his teammate.

Then he hears it, too. Rustling and a branch snapping quietly under careful feet. He nods to Magnus and then casts Pass without Trace. He’s released and they creep towards their campsite.

Looking around wildly and digging through their packs is a child. She seems no older than five years of age. Her raven-black hair falls in messy curls around her dark shoulders. She looks hungry and dirty and terrified. Magnus is about to approach but Taako lays a cautionary hand on his chest.

Not a minute later, more footsteps are heard. The girl gathers as much food as she can into her little arms and bolts. Taako removes his hand and the two of them gather what they need for a fight.

Two men appear from the trees, brandishing spears. They’re tall and muscular, clearly from another village. They level their spears at the duo and demand, “Tell us where she went.”

Magnus bristles. Taako attempts to charm them. “I’m Taako,” he starts, “And this is my companion, Magnus. We’re adventurers and unfortunately, my dudes, we’re a little too distraught to be of any help. See, our camp was just ransacked. If you’re looking for the person who did it, we’d be… uh… extremely grateful—“

One of the men jab the spear in Taako’s direction. Magnus’ axe deflects the attack. Taako raises his hands in defense. “Okay, look, there’s no reason to get aggro. Maybe we can help! Why are you looking for her?”

The men glance at one another and then size up Taako and Magnus. They silently agree that they can take them. Taako makes a mental note to work on his intimidation.

They begin another attack and Magnus rushes in. His axe breaks through the steel rods of their spears, much to their shock. Taako paralyzes them and a few melee blows have them hanging onto consciousness by a thread.

Magnus tosses his axe to the ground with a ‘thunk,’ dusting his hands. Taako goes in for a fist bump, which is heartily reciprocated.

“Alright, you two. I tried to do this the nice way,” says the elf, bending over the pair with his hands on his hips. Magnus kneels down.

“Start talking,” he growls. Taako takes a few pointers on how to be intimidating. “Where did you guys come from and why were you chasing that girl?”

Mouth bloody from his beating, one of the men sneers and snarls, “Fuck you. We’ll never give it to you or your kind. You do not deserve her.”

Taako tilts his head. “Our kind…?”

The man’s eyes turn to the wizard, threatening and smug. He says, “You… you must be the brother.” Taako’s blood goes cold and his shoulders go rigid. Magnus grabs the man by the hair and lifts him from the dirt. He hisses and spits blood on Magnus’ cheek. “You’re too late.”

“What are you _talking_ about?!” Magnus snaps, giving him a firm shake, “Who the hell are you?”

The amused smile on Taako’s face has disappeared. He kneels beside Magnus, studying the man and trying to make sense of the vague threats tumbling from his sneering lips. He says, “Your people came to take it… The fallen star engulfed in flames… You took it from us. Turned it against us. But no one... _No one_ will stop us from rising again.”

“Where are they?” asks Taako, “What happened to—“

“Taako,” says Magnus, alarm in his voice. Taako follows his line of sight and his gaze falls upon the second man. His mouth his foaming and his eyes have rolled back. Taako stumbles back with a sharp gasp.

“You’re too late,” the man repeats. There is a _crack_ as he bites down on something and then he, too, begins to foam at the mouth. Magnus releases him and steps back.

“Shit,” mutters Taako, covering his lips and turning away. Magnus runs a hand through his hair.

They both go on edge when a branch cracks nearby. But when they turn, there is only the little girl, peeking at them from behind a tree.

“Don’t worry,” says Magnus, showing her his empty and harmless palms, “They’re gone. They won’t hurt you anymore.”

“Yeah, why don’t you come over here, darling. Tell us why these bad dudes were chasing you through the woods,” says Taako.

Slowly, cautiously, she draws near, looking them up and down. Magnus attempts to cover the corpses from her line of sight with his body. She points to the emblem on his jacket. “I… P… R… E…” she reads. Her voice is dry and quiet.

“Yeah,” says Magnus, bending down and offering her a hand. “That’s right.”

“Did you see our friends?” asks Taako.

She nods. “They came to my home. They were nice. But…” The child chews her lip and twists the fabric of her tattered dress. Her stomach growls. “I want to go home,” she sobs.

“Oh, don’t cry,” says Taako, swooping down to rub the tears from her eyes, “You need as much water as you can get, sweetheart. Don’t waste it on tears. Taako’s gonna make you a big ol’ breakfast and we’re gonna make sure you get home safe, alright? But we’ll need your help. Can you be strong and answer a few questions after we eat?”

She nods, biting at her quivering lip. Magnus fetches her a bottle of water, which she gratefully accepts. “Drink slow, darling. I know it’s tempting to drink it all in one go but your stomach will thank you later. Slowly… Yeah, just like that.”

He turns to Magnus and the fighter takes over, allowing Taako the free time he needs to make a breakfast for the three of them.

 

After they’ve eaten, she starts talking. She explains that the traveling party arrived to her village with a blessing from the chief of Lolikai, the village on the beach. “My home is Bonikai,” she says, choking back tears at the mention of it. “I don’t know what happened… Momma woke me up in the night and told me to run. When I looked back, there was screams and fire… I got lost and I saw the big men on the road. They had a cage full of my brothers and sisters. They tried to catch me. I ran and now I’m scared to go home.”

The tears come back. Magnus offers her a hug and she disappears into his massive arms. He shares a worried glance with Taako. Neither assume she knows why they were taking children so they don’t bother asking.

“Don’t worry,” says Magnus gently, “We’ll get you home, soon. Do you know who the bad men are?”

She mutters something they don’t quite hear. “You’ll have to speak up, dear. Don’t be shy,” says Taako.

“Um… Momma said they’re all gone but… The other kids said they’re a bad village that got burned down a long time ago. The big kids would play pranks and shake our beds in the night saying they were going to burn our houses down. We call them Emrie. They lived in Emerdai a long time ago.”

“Before it was burned down,” Magnus affirms. She nods.

“Let me ask you one more thing,” says Taako, “We’re heading to… What was it…”

“Solcikai,” says the child, “Miss Lucy told me.”

Taako lays a hand over his chest. Lucretia… Gods, he hopes they’re all safe.

“Right. Do you know anyone there? In Solcikai?”

“My auntie lives there,” she murmurs, looking hopeful. They agree to take her there, promising she’ll be safe as long as she remains by their side. They pack their camp and Magnus sets her on his shoulders.

It’s difficult to talk about their personal lives with a small child listening in. Their humor is usually too adult for young ears. So they talk to her, asking questions about her village of Bonikai and about her favorite hobbies. They learn her name: Penina. It’s a lighthearted and optimistic journey until they reach the next village.

What’s left of it, in any case.

Penina gasps. Magnus lifts her from his shoulders and holds her to his chest, hiding her eyes. Only blackened wood is left behind, charred and cold. Not the most recent attack… but a devastating one. They comb the streets for any signs of life or any clues but they don’t linger long. There’s nothing to be saved.

“It’s them,” murmurs Penina, “It’s the Emrie. They burned it all up…”

They leave it behind. Penina takes her place back on Magnus’ shoulders but her answers to their questions become laconic and melancholy. So they let her be, walking in silence.

Two more days pass. The trio avoids the road and neighboring villages. Taako sacrifices his mediation to keep watch over the camp at night. On the last morning, Penina says that they’re close to Solcikai. Magnus insists Taako get some rest before they arrive to replenish his spells and his energy.

Reluctantly, he agrees. Magnus uses the cooking basics Taako taught him in order to cook a modest breakfast. Penina watches as he toasts bread over the fire. She begins to look concerned when the bread turns dark brown.

Magnus is distracted. He’s gazing at Taako, leaning back against a tree with his eyes closed, mouth slightly parted. He is alive and breathing and they have no idea what they’re about to get into but Magnus hopes that he will get the chance to see this exact scene again soon.

He mutters a swear when he realizes he’s burned the toast.

When enough time has passed and breakfast is prepared, Magnus makes a plate for Penina. She tucks in and he moves to wake Taako. His hand hovers over Taako’s arm, ready to shake him. Instead, he moves to brush hair away from his face, tucking it behind his ear. With a soft sound, Taako’s eyes flutter open and there’s that familiar squeeze in Magnus’ chest…

“…Smells good,” says Taako. He sits up and stretches, rubbing at his eyes. Magnus makes him a plate and when he hands it over, their fingers brush, sending a shiver up his arm. Taako cocks a brow and murmurs, “Oh…?”

Magnus brushes the slight panic of Taako calling him out by focusing on his own breakfast.

“This is good,” says Penina, “My momma’s is better.”

Magnus and Taako share a laugh and the fighter is thankful. He’d rather be verbally dragged by a five-year-old than answer any of Taako’s probing questions.

Despite the thin veneer of indifference, a dark cloud hangs over them. There hasn’t been a single village on their way that wasn’t untouched. There haven’t been any signs of children, either. Knowing that there is a very real chance of finding Solcikai in ruins has all three of them lost in anxious thought.

But the time has come. They gather their supplies and get started on the last leg of their journey to Solcikai. Magnus doesn’t say anything as Penina tugs at his hair, harder and harder the closer they get. Taako, however, notices. The suns have begun to set and they’re close enough to have found signs of civilization. She pulls at his hair hard enough to make him wince. Taako walks closer to Magnus’ side so that he can pat her leg. “Easy, sweetheart,” he smiles, “You’re going to pull his hair out.”

She apologizes but Magnus insists he doesn’t mind. “Didn’t even notice,” he lies.

Taako is about to say something when his heel collides with something metal. He doesn’t have time to register what it is before it’s clamped shut and he lets out an agonizing scream, collapsing to the ground. Magnus stops in his tracks, immediately ducking down to view the damage.

A bear trap. Not even particularly well hidden… He doesn’t understand why they didn’t see it before.

He sets Penina down but warns her to not move. She’s covering her mouth, eyes wide and full of tears. Magnus asks her to close them as he inspects Taako’s ankle.

The teeth of the trap have pierced through his flesh. He’s shaking and squeezing Magnus’ shoulder, biting his lip hard enough to draw blood. “It’s okay… this is fine, look, we just need to…” He touches the trap and the slightest movement makes Taako cry out. He claps a hand over his own mouth to stifle the sound but it’s too late. Hurried footsteps are closing in on them.

Gasping, Taako looks Magnus in the eyes and says, “Take her and get out of here, Magnus. Take her home.”

Defiance, the likes of which Taako has never seen before, sets in Magnus’ eyes. He holds Taako’s arms and replies, “I’m _not_ leaving you, Taako. Never again.”

He opens his mouth to argue but the look in Magnus’ face chokes his words. Certain he’s made his intentions clear, Magnus drops his gaze and pops open the trap like ripping off a bandaid. Taako howls, throwing his arms around Magnus’ neck. The fighter lifts him easily in one arm and plucks Penina with the other.

He tries to run but the footsteps are coming from every direction. He ducks one way and then turns another. Penina screams when she sees a shadow pass by, hiding her face against Magnus’ side. They’re getting closer and Magnus is reminded of the wolves… “Fuck…” he breathes, frozen in place. There’s nowhere to go… They’re surrounded.

He prepares himself for a fight until a familiar voice breaks through the dark.

“…Magnus?”

And another, “Taako?”

Taako perks up. “…Lup!?”

From the dark, she appears, pulling the hood from over her head. “Oh my god, Taako!” she cries, running to his aid. Magnus gently sets the elf down. Barry drops to their side, as well.

“It’s so good to see you,” says Barry, “We were afraid they got you… How is the village? Lolikai?”

“It was fine when we left… What the hell happened?” asks Magnus. “The only people who made it back were a few scouts. They had a burnt piece of Lup’s clothes…”

“They call them Emrie,” says Lup, wrapping a bandage tight around Taako’s leg. “They were a violent tribe that the other villages had to get rid of for the common good. Apparently, they’ve got a strong spiritual leader who told them a shooting star was going to restore their glory. In vengeance for their dwindling numbers, they’ve been stealing kids and burning shit down.”

“We ran into them a few towns back, just as they were leveling the place,” Barry explains, “We tried to evacuate as many people as possible while Lup held them off. We’ve been stuck here, protecting the Light of Creation and all the people we’ve been picking up along the way.”

“Yeah, basically? Shit sucks.” Lup’s eyes fall on the child and she says, “Sorry.”

“So they don’t have the Light?” asks Magnus.

“No,” says Barry, “We do. But we can’t bring it back to Lolikai until we’ve made sure the Emrie won’t burn this place to the ground the second we leave.”

“Yeah, no, that’s not cool,” Magnus agrees.

Taako lays his head on his sister’s shoulder, relieved to see her. The pain in his leg has dulled but he’s dizzy from the sudden blood loss. She looks to Magnus for help.

“We need to get you guys in. C’mon. Follow close cause there’s traps out here like you wouldn’t _believe_. And you can’t see ‘em either,” she says.

“Gotcha,” says Magnus. He lifts Taako carefully. The other shadowy figures are villagers from all over, watching with concern. They make their way to Solcikai and Magnus is stunned to find that it’s more like a city than a village. The entire town is surrounded by tall, heavy walls. It’s become like a fortress to protect the citizens from the Emrie. Archers line the wall, eyes on the group as they approach.

Guards greet them and watch their back as they enter.

“This is Penina,” says Taako, gesturing to the little girl clutching Magnus’ pant leg. “She’s got an auntie around here. Think we could help her get reunited?”

Barry mentions that Lucretia can help. “At first, there was a lot of chaos. People from villages all over came flooding here when the Emrie started attacking. Lucretia started keeping track of all the people coming in and has helped families come back together. If anyone’s able to help, it’s her.”

“I’m so glad you guys are okay,” Magnus beams, patting Barry’s shoulder. He bends down and hugs Penina tight. “You remember Miss Lucy? She’s gonna help you find your aunt. Everything is going to be fine.”

After he promises her, pinkie promises her, and crosses his heart, she takes Barry’s hand and follows his lead.

In the meantime, Merle has caught up with them. He sets to work healing Taako’s injury, grumbling that it’s been a nightmare. With the Light of Creation, Solcikai was able to quickly improve upon their architecture and technology but clerics are still in high demand. “Not enough healers for this shit,” he says.

Taako thanks him for his assistance, regardless. He grins and pats Taako's forearm, assuring him it's no problem for a friend. Then he's waddling off, too busy to stick around.

“So, Lulu,” he says, “Why haven’t you just hunted those bitches down and leveled their shit?”

“The kids,” she replies, “We don’t know where they’re keeping them and if we get too aggressive, there’s a chance they’ll kill them off. Already found a few corpses the last time we sent out an elimination party.”

“That’s awful,” Magnus gasps.

“Yeah, you’re telling me,” says Lup. She seems desensitized and exhausted. Magnus lays a hand on her shoulder.

“When was the last time you got some rest, Lup?”

She smiles tiredly at him and he knows.

“You got me here, now,” says Taako, lacing his fingers together with his sister’s. She presses her forehead to his. “I say we get some rest and when we’re ready, we go out there and sneak attack. No way we’re gonna let them get to Lolikai.”

She nods and they embrace. Magnus cracks a smile and Lup reaches an arm out for him. “Bring it in, Burnsides.”

He knows he should be more worried than relieved but when the twins fold him into that hug, he sighs and it takes the weight of the world off of his shoulders.


	5. Rune Reading

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taako puts those runes to good use. Or something.  
> Your support is appreciated. Still more to come; let me know what you think!

Magnus and Taako are guided to a quiet tavern in the heart of town. It’s been taken over by the IPRE, more or less. According to Lup, after protecting Solcikai from the Emrie’s initial attack, they were offered the tavern as a base of operations. They’ve already secured the Light of Creation but only because of the stipulation that they help rid of the Emrie once and for all. Which, to Magnus, sounds like a great idea. As far as he’s concerned, they’re just a big group of bullies and kidnappers.

They take their first real baths since leaving the Starblaster and they’re given separate rooms. Magnus stares at the ceiling from his bed, which is almost _too_ comfortable after having spent so many nights on the forest floor. After an hour, he realizes there’s no way he’s going to be able to sleep. He’s too restless and… lonely? Is that the right word?

He tries to switch positions and force himself to sleep to no avail.

So with a groan, he sits up and throws a shirt on. When he opens his bedroom door, he’s startled to see Merle walking by. The dwarf is equally startled that a door has opened next to him.

“Can’t sleep?” asks Merle. Magnus chuckles.

“Yeah. You’d think I’d be more tired but…”

Merle shrugs. He’s dressed for bed and holding a glass of water, which he takes a drink from. Scratching his beard, he says, “You could always try getting black-out drunk!”

Magnus laughs. He’s almost tempted.

“Goodnight, Merle.”

“Yeah you, too, buddy,” he says, yawning as he makes his way to his own room.

Once his door is closed, Magnus tiptoes to Taako’s room. He considers whether he should knock or just peek in to see if he’s even awake. His hand hovers over the handle and he bites his lip. Will Taako laugh at him? Maybe he’s had enough of Magnus Burnsides after being stuck with him for the last four weeks straight.

…One more day couldn’t hurt.

He slowly opens the door, peeking in. Candles with colored flames dimly light the room in purple and blues. Taako sits in a circle of them, once again surrounded by his runes. He immediately spots Magnus and smiles at him.

The fighter is compelled to enter. He shuts the door behind him.

“Sit with me, homie,” says Taako, nodding to a spot on the floor in front of him. Magnus does as he’s told. “Divination isn’t exactly my bag but I gotta say, I think Taako’s outdone himself with this one. Wanna give it a shot?”

Magnus stares at the runes. They seem to be glowing. He asks, “Give what a shot? Reading your future?”

“No,” says Taako, rolling his eyes, “Letting me read yours. All you gotta do is sit there and uh… I don’t know, think really hard about something that’s been bugging you.”

“And you’ll have an answer for me?” asks Magnus, sounding doubtful. The tone doesn’t sit well with Taako, who gives an offended look of disdain.

“Listen,” he says, “You’re the doofus with his head in the clouds lately. I’m trying to do you a solid so you’ll be in tip-top shape for the totally sick showdown we’re gonna have with these Emrie bitches.”

“My head in the…? Wait…” Magnus shakes his head and puts his hands up, suddenly putting two and two together. He asks, “Taako… these runes… did you…?”

“Do all of this for _you_?”

Magnus flushes. He nods once. “Yeah…?”

Taako looks ready to say something along the lines of, “Oh, aren’t _we_ special?” But he sighs, making a motor sound with his lips. Then he clicks his tongue and says, “I thought I’d give it a shot, at least. I don’t know what’s been eating you but you’ve been… different, Mags. I’m just trying to help.”

“You could have just asked,” says Magnus. And he’s surprised to see a flush on Taako’s skin.

“Uh…! I mean… let’s be real,” he says, pausing to chuckle nervously, “I’m not exactly the best with _words_ , babe. I don’t do these touchy-feely heart-to-hearts everyone else seems to _love_ …”

With an amused smirk, Magnus says, “But you do divination?”

“Well, no, but—“ Taako is blushing furiously now, caught up in his own contradiction and unable to find a logical way out. “Look, you want me to do this for you or not? I went through all the trouble.”

Truthfully, Magnus has a sense of trepidation about allowing Taako to read into his runes. There’s no telling how revealing they’ll be. But the guilt he feels over Taako having gone through that trouble outweighs the nerves. Not to mention his curiosity. So he swallows his pride (possibly kissing it goodbye) and nods.

“Alright. Good. Then… concentrate,” says Taako, holding his hands over the runes. The glow around them grows brighter.

Magnus isn’t sure if he’s supposed to have his eyes open or closed or if it matters. But his thoughts are a jumbled mess. He can see the strain in Taako’s face and a flinch as he tries to wrangle with the aimless arcana.

So Magnus closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. What’s been bothering him? The thought of being unable to save Taako a year ago comes to mind. And the fact that it almost happened, again. Taako wanted him to run… To just abandon him… 

Magnus flinches. Taako tries to think rationally. He’s willing to make hard sacrifices for the greater good at the drop of a hat. Even if it means his loved ones have to miss him. Even if it means he’ll have to endure torturous pain. Alone. Even if it means hurting someone’s pride. Magnus still feels ashamed that he had to turn his back on his friend, even though he knows that no one holds it against him. That they never did.

His thoughts are becoming clearer. He opens his eyes. Taako’s expression is much more serene. His fingers twitch and the runes glow brighter and dimmer individually, radiating their soft brilliance.

Magnus takes another deep breath. He sits up straighter. What sort of answer is he looking for? Maybe an explanation for his internal struggle would be helpful. He’s the protector. That doesn’t mean he has to save every life. He knows that. So why can’t he make the sacrifices others are willing to make? Specifically, the sacrifices Taako is willing to make. Why can’t he let them go? Particularly… why can’t he let Taako go?

The elf sighs, leaning his head back. “Ah…”

All of the runes go dark except for three. Taako turns his palms upward and the three glowing runes drift into his open hands. Once he has them, they go dark and he breathes a sigh of relief.

His eyes open and Magnus can see that he’s dizzy. “Are you okay, Taako?”

“I’ll be honest, my man, that was a _doozy_ ,” he chuckles, wiping a bead a sweat from his brow. “What a rush! I sure as shit am not doing that again. Gonna stick to parlor tricks and tarot cards, fuck it.”

Magnus smiles and then shifts closer. Taako opens his palms.

“Alright. What do we got… We’ve got, uh, Dagaz. Tyr. Aaand… Gebo.”

“What’s that mean?” asks Magnus excitedly.

Taako grins, feeling smug in Magnus’ enthusiasm. He says, “Dagaz signifies a breakthrough. Basically, if you need to make a change, now’s the time to do it. Tyr is…” Taako laughs gently. “It’s so you, Mags. Tyr is like the spiritual warrior.”

“Oh, hell yeah,” says Magnus, studying the shape of it. An arrow pointing skyward. He’s into it.

“If you’re fighting for a cause, then you have to stick with it. Don’t let anything shake your resolve, so to speak. So long as you’ve thought real long and hard about it, first. So like… be honest with yourself and then never stop fighting for what you believe in.”

Magnus’ brows shoot up. It’s probably the most sincere advice he’s ever heard from Taako. But then again, he’s got the runes to hide behind. ‘No sincerity here, just what the runes are telling me!’ That’s what Magnus imagines Taako would say if he brought it up. So he doesn’t.

“What about Gebo? What’s that one?” he asks.

Taako hesitates. It’s an X shape and for a moment, Magnus is afraid it means something terrible. He holds his breath as Taako lets his out on a sigh. He acts blasé as he explains, “Gebo is like a… like a partnership. It’s a deep connection between two independent people or schools of thought. So…” He shrugs, closing his palm. The wizard begins to clear his floor of runes, dropping them into a silk purse he made for them.

“So…? What?” asks Magnus, “What should I do about it?”

Taako shrugs again, not looking at him. “Can’t say for sure, babycakes! Some things you gotta figure out for yourself!” He flashes a smile at Magnus but he can tell it’s forced. He grimaces and lets his gaze drift to one of the candles.

To his surprise, Taako says, “If it were me… I’d think that it meant it was time to make a deeper connection with someone you’ve been meaning to. Or maybe even someone you didn’t expect.”

“…Taako?” says Magnus and the elf hums in response. “Did you… read your own future?”

He pauses his game of twenty-four stone pick-up. And he swallows before answering, “No.”

“Why not?”

He finishes placing all of the stones in the bag before answering, pulling the string tight. “I um…” He makes a ‘pop’ with his lips and clicks his tongue.

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to,” Magnus says. With a fake laugh, he adds, “I’d rather you not tell me than have to come up with some BS. It’s not a big deal.”

Taako sighs. “Listen… I already know what I want, alright? I spend a _lot_ of quality time with myself. Taako knows what Taako wants. It’s just… I don’t want a bunch of rocks tell me I can’t have it. You know…? I’d rather… um…” He begins to twirl the ends of his hair around his finger. Magnus has to lean in to hear him murmur, “I’d rather hold out hope.”

Magnus’ heart is racing.

Taako’s lips purse into a tight line as he nervously awaits a reply. When Magnus says nothing, he shoots him an almost offended glare. He’s wearing his heart on his sleeve for the first time in goddamn ever and the silence isn’t very reassuring. But Magnus is sitting so close to him now that he can’t think of a way to properly chew him out for it. He simply glares, expecting an apology.

Magnus places a warm hand on Taako’s cheek and suddenly the glare softens to something inquisitive. For once, he can’t read Magnus’ expression so his own is cautious yet curious. Words fail him.

They get lost that way for what feels like forever. Magnus’ thumb makes the bold move of stroking Taako’s cheekbone until the skin is bright from blushing.

“How’s your leg?” asks Magnus. It’s so sudden that Taako needs him to repeat the question before he can reply.

“It’s… fine,” he says, “Merle did a decent job… _finally_.”

Magnus smiles softly and says, “You’re so mean.”

Taako’s gaze flips between Magnus’ eyes and his lips then back again. He starts to regain his composure the longer they sit in stillness. He lays a hand over Magnus’ carefully, afraid that the fighter might remove himself the second he realizes he’s still holding his face. But there his hand remains.

The elf’s smile turns into a smirk as he cocks his head to the side and asks, “Like what you see?” in that same soft, quiet tone he’d used at the river.

Magnus feels a lump in his throat, keeping him from speaking. He tries to lean in but instantly freezes, his heart hammering painfully in his chest. Taako is staring at him, unmoving and inscrutable.

Eventually, Taako gets bored with the waiting. He politely removes Magnus’ hand from his cheek and sits back, watching as a cold reality washes over the man sitting across from him. Magnus sighs, knowing a missed opportunity when he sees it. He curses himself for wavering.

Taako places the bag of runes into Magnus’ hands and says, “Alright, well. You could probably sell these for a pretty penny, huh? I think I’m over it, so. Do whatever you want with them.”

“Are you sure…?” asks Magnus. He doesn’t bother hiding the disappointment in his voice.

Taako replies, “Meh. Like I said; not my bag.”

Magnus takes them and has no intention of selling them. They’re a valuable asset, if necessary, but he’d rather keep them as a sentimental gift.

“Mags, lemme ask you something,” says Taako.

“Oh… sure. Shoot.”

Taako leans back on his hands, crossing one leg over the other. He hums thoughtfully and then asks, “If it hadn’t been our own group back there… If it was a bunch of those uh… Emrie dudes… And I told you to let them take me so you could escape with little Panini-bread… What would you have done?”

Shit. Magnus was _not_ expecting that question.

He turns his gaze so he isn’t looking Taako in the eyes as he scratches the back of his neck and mulls over an answer. “I don’t know, Taako… I don’t really think in the moment too much, you know?”

“Oh, I know.”

“So like… I’d probably have tried to fight them off and protect you both.”

“Then they’d probably get her,” says Taako, “Or kill us all.”

Magnus huffs irritably. “It worked out, didn’t it?”

“You didn’t know that, at the time” replies Taako, sounding equally irritated. For a second, Magnus is flabbergasted as to how Taako could possibly be upset. But the elf snaps at him, “Can’t you just trust me for _once?_ ”

“Wh--…? Taako, I _do_ trust you—“

“Then fucking prove it, okay? Just like… for once?! If I could think of a way to save my own ass, you can one hundo percent believe, I’d be taking _that_ route. But running from wolves without any spell slots left or limping five days back to the ship with a busted leg… It’s a no go, alright? And the only way I can know for sure that I’m going to come back is if _someone_ gets back alive. So for _my_ sake, if I’m trying to sacrifice myself for you, can’t you just _trust_ me?”

Magnus is stunned into silence. Not only because of the words flying from Taako’s mouth but also because of the flush overtaking his face and the shimmer in his eyes as he fights back frustrated tears. His ears are pinned back and when he realizes how much of a mess he probably seems, he presses the heel of his palm to his eye and turns away.

Gently, Magnus says, “What if… you can’t come back, though?”

Taako has to steady his breathing before he can reply, “What are you talking about?”

“What if like… somehow… we figured it out? We stopped the Hunger and then… that’s it? We’re just stuck here and you’re gone forever?”

Taako looks at him, then. Really looks at him.

Magnus continues, “Whenever stuff like that happens… I just think about losing you for good. I don’t want to be desensitized to it. I want it to really mean something because for all I know, it _could_ be the last time I ever see you… And…” He chuckles, rolling his eyes at himself. He says, “This might sound cheesy, Taako, but… I can’t let you go. Not yet.”

The elf opens his mouth, taking a long, steady inhale. He’s touched but the look in his eyes is markedly disappointed. “…So you won’t do it,” says Taako, “You won’t trust me.”

“I didn’t say that.”

Gently, Magnus takes both of Taako’s hands into his own. The elf tries to seem very interested in this fact by gluing his eyes to their interlacing fingers but Magnus says, “Look at me,” and he can’t help but look at him. “I didn’t want you to think I’d only be saying this because like… entertainment is in short supply between the seven of us, or something like that. I wanted to figure it out and… wait for things to be better. I wanted it to be perfect. But sometimes I think… what if I lose you for good? What if I never get that chance?”

He can feel Taako’s hands trembling. Magnus glances down to witness his hands, barely able to hold onto his own. And then there’s those two eyes directly in front of him, arcane magic dancing behind them, blocking his line of vision. He gasps sharply, fingers curling around Taako’s.

He won’t miss the same opportunity twice in one night.

Magnus closes his eyes and then closes the distance, pressing a kiss to Taako’s lips. The elf meets that kiss fervently, squeezing Magnus’ hands tight.

They part briefly to stare at one another, silently asking the questions: is this alright? Is this what you wanted?

The answer to both being: yes, absolutely, yes.

They untangle their hands in order to wrap themselves up, Taako’s arms flinging around Magnus’ neck and Magnus’ arms winding around Taako’s waist. He pulls Taako into his lap, hands crawling up his spine to hold him firmly as they kiss again and again, diving deeper with each go. It’s a feverish and desperate kiss, made more so by the needy sounds escaping Taako’s lips. Magnus can’t recall ever having heard anything so sweet.

Suddenly, Taako goes limp in his grasp, hands holding his jaw weakly. He rests his forehead against Magnus’, lips quivering and gasping for air.

“Taako…? Are you okay…?”

“Hachi machi,” he chuckles, nuzzling Magnus right where he’s got him, “Oh boy… I am never reading futures ever again…”

Magnus smiles and without another word, he lifts Taako into his arms and carries him to bed. The candles go out simultaneously, leading Magnus to assume their flames were being sustained by magic the entire time.

“Magnus,” murmurs Taako, gripping the edge of his shirt. He tugs lightly and turns his head pointedly towards the empty space in his bed. “Don’t go.”

Those are the words Magnus has been dying to hear. And when Taako gives him a tired and adoring smile, he knows that they were decisively spoken. Magnus removes his shirt earning him a comical hum of approval.

“Mmm,” says Taako.

“Stop,” chuckles Magnus.

He crawls into bed and pulls the sheets over them as Taako curls his back against Magnus’ chest.

He’s out almost as fast as the candles, leaving Magnus to contentedly comb his fingers through Taako’s long hair. Sleep still takes its time finding him but considering his position, he doesn’t particularly mind.


	6. Pinkie Swear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Didn't we say no promises...?  
> Still more to come. Let me know what you think! Your support is massively appreciated.

When Magnus wakes up, he expects Taako to still be nestled in his arms. Unfortunately, that is not the case. He sits upright in an empty bed. “…Taako?”

With a groan and a yawn, he swings his feet out of bed and onto the hardwood floor. A couple stretches and one shirt later, he’s heading into the hall. Once again, he’s startled to find Merle passing by with his empty glass from the night before. Merle doesn’t seem as surprised except that he does a double take at the end of the corridor.

“Magnus?” he asks, squinting as the fighter attempts to sneak back to his own room. Not a chance. Merle adjusts his glasses and points to the door. “Isn’t that Taako’s room…?”

“Uh…” Magnus shows Merle the silk purse full of runes and says, “Was just uh! Getting my runes back!”

The dwarf nods, “Ah, alright then,” and then continues his way down to the kitchen. Halfway down the stairs, he realizes that it’s strange for Magnus to own runes. At least, he thinks it is… Is it?

He sits down at the kitchen table, drumming his fingers on the wood. Lup is already cooking breakfast, whistling a tune. Merle grins. “You’re in a good mood,” he says.

She winks at him. “I was missing out on my beauty sleep,” she replies. “Let me tell you, gramps. Never. Again.”

“Who you callin’ gramps?”

A few minutes after his breakfast is served, he looks around the room and asks, “Where is everyone?” Lup shrugs, cleaning off her dishes. “You seen Lucy?”

“She left early, actually. Was trying to help that kid Mags and Taako brought back.”

“What, now?”

Lup begins to explain that the two had shown up with a small girl from one of the previous villages. Merle was still on his way to heal Taako’s wounds when she was sent away with Barry.

Magnus descends the stairs. “You’re too late for breakfast,” Lup teases. But Magnus is too distracted to joke around.

“Have you seen Taako?” he asks. She crosses her arms over her chest and cocks a hip.

“What, am I everyone’s babysitter now?” she asks dryly.

“Never mind,” says Magnus. He leaves the tavern, much to Lup’s astonishment.

“…Did I say something wrong?” she asks, looking to Merle.

The dwarf glances over his shoulder and shrugs. When he’s certain that Magnus is good and gone, he leans in and says, “I saw him sneaking out of Taako’s room this morning.”

She purses her lips and raises her brows with a long, thoughtful, “Hmm!”

Then, with a mischievous smirk, Merle adds, “Saw Barry sneaking out of yours, too.”

She gasps dramatically, placing a hand on her chest. “My own SO, sneaking out of my room? Scandalous.”

“Oh yeah, it’s in all the headlines!” Merle chimes.

“I’m ruined,” says Lup, moving her hand from her chest to her forehead and dipping back. “My spotless reputation, right out the window! What’s a girl to do!”

Their banter comes to a halt when Taako enters the tavern, keeping an eye over his shoulder. Merle and Lup watch as he shuts the door behind him and gives them both the most fake smile anyone could ever hope to muster. “Morning,” he says, hurrying upstairs to his room.

Lup and Merle exchange glances and then nod in solidarity. Lup heads upstairs and Merle abandons his breakfast to hurry out the door.

 

“Taako?”

Lup knocks gently on his door. “I’m coming in!”

She tries the handle and is surprised to find it locked. Taako’s voice chimes through the door, “I’m getting dressed!”

“So?” she barks, jiggling the handle impatiently, “Come on, open up. I haven’t seen you in weeks!”

When there’s no immediate answer, she debates blowing the handle right off. But the lock clicks and she lets herself inside. Taako is already making his way to his bed when she enters, seating himself in the middle of the mattress. He gathers a couple bottles of nail polish from his bedside table and casts levitate, keeping them at shoulder-height.

“How’ve you been, Lulu?” he asks casually.

She crosses her arms, unimpressed with his thinly veiled attempt at acting composed. “You don’t have to be fake around me, Taako,” she says. “In fact, I’d argue that you _can’t_.”

“Oh?” asks her twin, uncapping his primary coat. She clicks her tongue at him and he grins, rolling his eyes and giving a theatrical heave. “If you’re going to be _that_ way about it…”

She locks his door and sits at the foot of his bed, crossing her legs beneath her and leaning her chin in her hand. “So, what’s the deal?” she prods, poking his knee. “Something going on with you and Maggie?”

“Not—“

She pokes him harder, eliciting a soft, ‘owww,’ as Taako pulls his knee away from her reach. Her furrowed brow communicates just how little she’s willing to put up with bullshit today. Taako scoffs.

He explains, “Okay, so, listen, here’s the thing. A couple times now, we’ve gotten in a pinch. And this meathead refuses to think logically for two goddamned seconds and leave me behind. Like? I get it; you want to save everyone. You _care_ about me. But—“

“Oooh-kaaay,” says Lup, waving her hands, “I’m just going to stop you right there and ask you an important question, Taako. _Do_ you get it? Do you, though? Like… do you _really_ get it?”

Taako’s mouth opens and closes as he struggles with the answer. He tries to say, “yes, of course!” but nothing comes out. Lup is leaning in closer and closer, almost pressing her nose to his forehead. “This ‘meathead’ cares about you and doesn’t want to leave you behind and you’re going to be pissy about it?”

“I mean!” Taako tries to distract himself with his nails but he can’t concentrate on them. His sister has him flustered. “If he actually cared, he’d just trust me, you know? And now that he’s more or less told me how he feels, it’s just going to get worse.”

“How so?” asks Lup dryly, thoroughly unconvinced.

Taako drops his voice as he impersonates Magnus and says, “He’s going to be like, ‘Taako, don’t go searching for the Light, I got it,’ and, ‘Don’t write that letter, you’ll get a papercut,’ and—“

Lup presses her index finger to Taako’s lips and says, “Shhh, stop, stop, stop, nope.”

Taako glares at her incredulously, smacking her hand away. She smiles.

“Taako, I care about you. You’re… well… you’re everything to me! We’ve been through everything together and I know you hate being apart from me as much as I hate being without you.”

With a sharp inhale, Taako’s ears point down and his expression softens. His sister’s hand cups his cheek and he sighs, dropping his gaze to the bed.

“We care about each other but we don’t suffocate one another,” she continues, “And for that matter, we talk about shit! Taako, I know it’s hard, but you have to learn to open up.”

His expression turns sour, as if a bitter memory is sitting on his tongue. “I know,” Lup insists, “I _know_. But this is our family now. They’re not like everyone else.”

Taako leans forward and she catches his forehead on her shoulder, wrapping her arms around him and stroking his hair. “Aww,” she coos, “Look at you! Struggling with your feelings!”

“Lulu, I swear to god,” he chuckles, squeezing her middle.

Lup giggles as she peels Taako away. Holding his shoulders and locking eyes, she says, “Stop avoiding him and go talk it out. Maybe instead of asking him to trust you, you gotta trust him first! And hey! The worst thing that could happen is you come bitch about it to me over some wine and I kick his ass for you.”

Taako beams at her and she promises to send Magnus straight to the fucking moon.

“What would I do without you?” says Taako, once again diving into her shoulder.

She pats his back and replies, “Jack off alone until the end of days.”

“Fuck you.”

 

Merle catches up to Magnus quickly. “Magnus!” he calls, waving the man down as he charges blindly forward through town, “Magnus, wait!”

He doesn’t reply. Merle is forced to catch up with him and tug at his pant leg before he notices. “Oh!” he exclaims, “Merle! Hey, what’s up?”

The dwarf has to catch his breath, stroking his beard as he pats Magnus’ thigh. “You’ve uh…! Got quite the stride on you, Magnus!” he says.

“Uhh…? Thanks?” says Magnus, lips curling in a pity smile.

“Hey, listen, so uh! I just wanted to catch up with you, see how things were going, you know? You kinda ran out on us this morning.”

“Yeah… well…” Magnus scratches the back of his neck, his distracted gaze roaming through the crowd of villagers. They fill the streets, carrying supplies and going about their daily chores. No sign of Taako. “I was kinda looking for—“

“No, no, I get it,” Merle sighs, stuffing his hands into his pockets and rocking on the balls of his feet, “You don’t wanna talk to your old pal, Merle. Better things to do, I suppose.”

Magnus groans, dragging a hand down his face. “Come on, don’t be that way,” he grumbles, “I just really needed to—“

“Say!” Merle interrupts, “This morning, you were asking about Taako, right?” Magnus nods in affirmation and Merle continues, “I actually saw him come in right about the time you left! Let’s walk together; he’s probably still there.”

“Really?” asks Magnus, unsure whether or not to believe him. Merle scoffs and places his fists on his hips.

“Yes, really! C’mon or you’re gonna lose him again!”

Something about the way he worded that sentence leaves a cold and empty feeling in Magnus’ stomach. His lips press into a tight line and he follows Merle’s lead.

“So… runes, huh?” Merle inquires.

“Huh? Oh! Yeah. Uh.”

“Think you can give me a reading, big guy?” asks Merle, giving Magnus’ thigh a nudge, “Let me know if there’s love in my future any time soon? Eh?”

Magnus chuckles, “Oh, I don’t know, I’m not that good at… At um… Reading. Them. The runes, that is.”

“Nah, c’mon, just for the heck of it!” Merle insists. “What about you? What did they say last time you did a reading for yourself?”

Magnus swallows. He didn’t do the reading himself, per say. But he reveals the part about Tyr, the spirit warrior. Merle nods sagely and comments, “Interesting. Yeah. Fight for what you believe in. I totally get it. So what do you believe in, Magnus? What’s got you all fired up these days?”

With a soft sigh, Magnus says, “You know, I actually thought really hard about it. And you know that one time that Lup made sure we didn’t kill an entire civilization? Like… She was totally outnumbered but she put her foot down and made the decision that we’d never do anything like that ever again.”

“Mmhmm, yeah, I remember! Good gal, Lup!”

“Yeah,” Magnus smiles, “That meant a lot to me. I feel like making those kinds of sacrifices isn’t what I’m about and I don’t know how I’d feel right now if we went through with it.”

“So what _are_ you fighting for?” asks Merle.

“I guess it’s more like… _how_ I’m fighting. Cause stopping the Hunger is definitely the top priority. I just want to make sure that once it’s all over, we can look back and feel like we did the right thing. If we had to make sacrifices, they were worth making. I want to end this thing with no regrets.”

They’ve arrived at the tavern, again. Merle looks up at Magnus and says, “You’re doin’ a pretty good job, I’d say.”

Magnus chuckles, “I guess. Let’s just say, if I could go back in time, there’s still a few things I’d have done differently.”

He opens the door and spots Taako at the foot of the stairs. They both pause, locking eyes. Merle gives Magnus and encouraging pat on the thigh whilst Lup shoves Taako violently forward. The elf stumbles and Magnus catches him before he can trip over his skirt. 

He’s about to bark at his sister but he’s interrupted by Magnus asking, “Can we talk?”

 

They stand outside Taako’s door, the elf leaning against it with his arms crossed and his gaze turned floor-ward. Magnus says, “Did I do something wrong?”

And Taako replies, “We’re fucking this whole thing up, Mags. I wanted to make sure we were on the same page with the whole… ‘we do what we gotta do’ thing and now… Tch, let’s face it, you’re not going to think with any ounce of logic no matter what I tell you.”

Magnus flinches at the stinging comment but he’s in a calmed state of mind. On this rare occasion, he can see that Taako is lashing out because he’s uncomfortable. So Magnus remains placid in his response. “That’s not true,” he says.

Taako chances a glance at him. “No?”

“No.”

Magnus takes a deep breath. He says, “One time, we were all willing and ready to wipe out an entire civilization. When Lup put her foot down, _you_ were the one who came up with a new idea. I know that making big sacrifices might seem like the only option but… I don’t ever want to stop fighting for a better way.”

Taako chews his lip. Magnus is making a compelling argument but he isn’t convinced. Magnus continues, “That being said, the biggest reason I was having so much trouble letting you go is because… like… yeah, it’s hard to let _any_ of you go but I just didn’t want to live with regrets. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life never having told you how I felt.”

Slowly, Taako’s arms fall from being crossed over his chest to hanging at his side, his gaze stuck on Magnus’ face.

“So here’s what I’m saying,” says Magnus, “You promise me that if you’re trying to sacrifice yourself, you’ve at least thought of like five different options.” Taako chuckles, which in turn causes Magnus to smile. He takes a step closer and Taako sighs, loosely hooking a single arm around Magnus’ neck.

“And what about you?” he asks.

Magnus returns the gesture by placing a hand on Taako’s hip, easing him closer. “I promise to protect you the best I can… and to trust that you know what you’re doing, even if I don’t like it.” Another chuckle out of Taako, quieter this time. He scratches at the back of Magnus’ neck, brushing the fuzz of hair he hasn’t had the time to cut.

“You won’t regret it?” says Taako, “Even if there was a chance you’d never see me again?”

Magnus shakes his head and a blush blooms across Taako’s face as the fighter starts to lean in. His gaze falls to Magnus’ lips and he wraps his other arm around the man’s shoulders. With both hands on Taako’s waist, lips hovering over lips, Magnus says, “If this was our last chance… I’d just want to make the most out of it. I’d want to tell you everything.”

Taako huffs a soft laugh and closes his eyes. Magnus takes that as his cue to shut up and rush in. So he does, pulling Taako tight against him as he delivers a deep, adoring kiss to his lips. Taako moves one hand to the back of his head, the other to his jaw, and he makes the prettiest sigh. It ends too quickly but only so Magnus can lift him up and open the door.

He shuts it behind them and is immediately dragged to the bed. The elf shoves him onto the mattress and follows him down, pressing enthusiastic kisses along his jaw. Magnus nuzzles into his hair as those kisses move back and teeth scrape the crest of his ear. Then, Taako places a hard kiss on the pulse in his neck, humming in appreciation when Magnus shudders. His teeth graze over the skin as he continues to kiss that small area.

He bites and Magnus’ grip on his hips tightens. The fighter groans, tilting his head to expose the length of his neck. Absolute clay in Taako’s hands. The elf smirks, giving him another bite and following it with a soothing lick.

Magnus’ face is bright red and he’s already panting, barely able to bite back his moans when Taako continues his attack on that one patch of skin. Just the thought of what the bruise is going to look like gives him a delighted chill. It’s like a seal on their promises.

Taako sits up, perched proud and comfortable on Magnus’ stomach, just shy of the growing hardness a few inches down. Magnus stares up at him, his hands on Taako’s thighs. Somehow, they managed to climb up the elf’s skirt, which is now bunched up around his hips and tantalizingly close to revealing what lies underneath.

He’s taken aback when Taako presents him with his pinkie finger. “Promise,” says Taako. And then Magnus understands, beaming up at him as he hooks his own pinkie around Taako’s.

“Promise.”

Then, Taako climbs off of him and pulls his hair up into a ponytail. “Alright,” he says, taking smug satisfaction out of Magnus’ look of longing and discontent, “That’s enough unpacking for now. Let’s get this Emrie shit sorted out and—“

“Taako…”

“—we can pick this back up later tonight.”

Magnus visibly perks at the idea, sitting upright. Taako throws him a wink and a smile and then heads downstairs to start devising a plan with his sister. It takes Magnus a minute or so to process what just happened and the implications of Taako’s last words. With renewed energy, he hops out of bed and rushes downstairs to join them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has **[fanart!](http://artbychromo.tumblr.com/post/164013763111/idk-if-youre-still-taking-taagnus-requests-but-one)** Thank you, Chromo  <3


	7. Pent Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here's where the explicit rating comes in.  
> Your support really helps me knock these chapters out.  
> Still more to come; let me know what you think!

Magnus can’t keep his eyes off of Taako. He doesn’t understand how easily the elf seems to be able to squirrel away his feelings and focus on the tasks at hand. His own mind is stubbornly preoccupied with personal feelings and the warm sting of the hickie bruising his neck.

Lup is amused by his daydreaming approximately one (1) time. After that, it pisses her off. She snaps her fingers in front of his face and threatens to set his ass on fire if it’ll help keep his head out of there. Magnus apologizes profusely and reminds himself that lives are at stake. Penina’s life is at stake. Come on, Magnus. Focus.

The trio start hashing out their plans for eliminating the Emrie. “Mercy is out the window on this one,” sighs Lup, shaking her head with a grimace, “Once you start killin’ kids… Mm mmm, no.”

“Yeah, no,” Magnus agrees. “So what are we thinking? A small group, right?”

“Multiple small groups,” Taako suggests. “Most of them will be distraction teams. They’ll make the most noise but do the least damage. Probably run the fastest, too.”

Lup points at him, nodding, “I like it.”

So they start building on their foundation, pouring over their maps of the surrounding areas. Already, they’re marked in red with Emrie sightings and known destroyed villages. As other members of the IPRE pop in and out of the tavern, they’re called on for their input.

Based on her interviews with refugee villagers, Lucretia is able to confirm additional Emrie sightings as well as firepower. Merle suggests guerilla warfare, using the lush foliage of the woods to their advantage. He also brings them dinner and insists they take a break, which they’re happy to do. Once the evening starts to roll in, Barry enters.

“Oh, Barold!” Taako beckons, waving him over. He turns his nose away from his armful of notes and approaches. Lup locks an arm around his neck and places a kiss to his temple.

They explain their work in progress plan and request his input. He says, “I um… I don’t really know much about tactics but I can tell you that it’s probably going to have to wait for a few days. A storm is going to blow in later tonight and uh…” He flips through a few of his papers, glances it over, and then continues, “I’m guessing it’ll be raining for approximately four days. The worst of it will be tomorrow afternoon or evening… The rest will just be really… Really wet.”

The three of them hum in unison. “Good to know! Helpful as always,” says Magnus, treating Barry to a pat on the back. A little too hard for Barry’s liking but the praise makes up for it. He grins bashfully.

“Yeah, we might even be able to work with that, we’ll see,” muses Lup. And then she gives Barry another kiss on the temple and says, “Thanks, babe.”

Barry stammers, “N-no problem,” and heads upstairs to study the information he’d gathered throughout the day.

Lup smacks the map in the middle of the table and says, “Alright! I’m calling it a night, boys. I think we’ve been talking in circles for the last forty-five minutes and I’m ready to rip my hair out. Let’s pick it back up tomorrow. Sound good?”

Taako and Magnus nod, pushing away from the table to stretch. They mention how quickly the time had gone by and that it was kind of Merle to bring them dinner. “Fuck knows I do _not_ feel like cooking right now,” sighs Taako. “In fact, I think I’m just gonna head to bed.”

As Lup acknowledges him, saying she’ll probably do the same, Taako shoots Magnus a purposeful glance that makes his pulse quicken. “Tidy up here, won’t you, Mags?” says Taako. Magnus gets to work, wishing the twins a good night. It takes him longer than it should to organize the maps and notes, what with his distracting thoughts having nothing to stop them from roaming free.

When the task is finally done, he steels himself and climbs the stairs to the bedrooms.

Taako is standing in his doorway, dressed only in an over-sized shirt that hangs off of one shoulder and toying with a strand of hair. Magnus instantly recognizes the shirt as one of his _own_ nightshirts that went missing months prior. As a matter of fact, his shirts have been going missing for years. Each missing shirt would always suddenly appear again after a while but then another one would vanish in its place. It suddenly makes sense.

He huffs a laugh and Taako gives him a mischievous grin. The elf curls a come-hither finger at him and slips into his bedroom. Magnus swallows to keep his heart in his chest and out of his throat.

When he enters, the door shuts and locks behind him. “Taako—“

“One second, my man,” says Taako. He casts a spell of silence on the walls of his room, making Magnus even more flustered. He stands awkwardly, biting his lip. Taako leans back in his bed and crosses one leg over the other. “Done-zo. Now, what were you going to say?”

He’s so smug. That’s fine by Magnus; he’s tired of acting like that wizard doesn’t have him wrapped around his little finger.

He clears the room in just a few strides, cupping Taako’s face and pulling him into a deprived kiss. Taako’s hand rises to meet one of Magnus’ and he chirps a soft moan. He almost feels guilty for how desperately Magnus paws at him. _Almost_.

Magnus climbs into the bed, never breaking the seal of their lips. They settle side-by-side, inquisitive hands exploring one another. Taako’s movements are more bold whilst Magnus is gentle, his every touch like a question. But if his touches are questions then Taako’s sighs and gasps are answers. All saying yes, yes, yes.

The elf hooks a leg around Magnus’ thigh, pulling him close. Fingertips creep under his shirt and then dance along his chest. The hammering of Magnus’ heart is apparent and it makes Taako smile endearingly into their kiss. Magnus is too busy enjoying the smooth skin of Taako’s thigh to feel self-conscious about it.

Mangus traces the shape of Taako’s lips with his tongue and then slips between his teeth. He fits his tongue under Taako’s to pull him into his own mouth and Taako is quick to take advantage. One hand grips tight to Magnus’ hair as he pulls half of himself on top of the him, kissing hard as if he plans to conquer every little bit of him. Which, as far as Magnus is concerned, he already has. Nonetheless, he makes a show of fighting back.

By the time they finally part, their lips are puffy and wet and the two of them are breathless. Magnus squeezes Taako’s thigh and runs his thumb along the inside, making the elf shudder and tighten his grip on Magnus’ hair. He’s not ready to admit how much he loves the thrill of that tug.

“Taako…” Magnus breathes. He squeezes the elf’s thighs to hold him in place as he gently rocks his hips, letting Taako get a feeling for how hard he’s already gotten.

“Oh…?” grins Taako, responding by grinding back. “You’ve been thinking of this, huh?”

Again, Taako grinds against him and Magnus whines, a pleading look in his eyes. “Yeah… Taako…”

Magnus grabs him by the shoulder blades and pulls him close so he can kiss at the exposed collarbone, pushing the over-sized sleeve even further down his shoulder. Taako’s fingers dive into his hair and hold him close. It’s all the encouragement Magnus needs to start nibbling and sucking on the skin.

“That’s good,” Taako sighs. He can feel Magnus’ smile as he bites _just_ hard enough to make Taako hiss. Magnus feels the tension in his shoulders, tightening with each bite and melting with every kiss. He’s so entranced by it that he doesn’t notice when he’s gotten Taako whimpering. The only thing that stops him is the sharp pull on his hair.

Sitting back, he sees the bruise he’s left behind, dark and blotchy and stretching from collar to shoulder. He licks his lips and watches Taako trace it, panting and smirking. Magnus says, “You’re beautiful, Taako.”

The sincerity in his voice makes Taako’s heart swell. He slides his hands under Magnus’ shirt again, this time slowly lifting it up and away from his body. “Look at you,” he coos, peppering kisses over his expansive chest. “Built like a fucking tank, heart of gold…” His hand is suddenly between Magnus’ legs and he gives his fully erect cock a squeeze through his pants. Magnus gasps and Taako says, “Hung like a _god_.”

A bashful laugh turns into a quiet moan as Taako continues to fondle him with experimental strokes and gentle squeezing. His head tilts back, arms coming to rest over his head. Taako uses his free hand to push his shirt up and he takes the hint, tossing it to the floor.

Rain starts to tap against the windows. Between that comforting sound, the candles dimly lighting the room, as well as the lingering scent of incense that Taako’s room always seems to carry, Magnus finds everything to be terribly romantic. He bucks against Taako’s hand and another whine escapes him as Taako starts to kiss his way down from chest to stomach.

Then he’s sitting between Magnus’ legs, both hands rubbing along his inner thighs and up his hips. He locks eyes with Magnus as his fingers tuck into the laces of his pants and begin to pull them loose. “Don’t hold back on me,” he purrs, tugging the waistband down Magnus’ hips, “No one other than me is going to hear you. And… I want to hear you.”

Magnus barely has time to nod before he’s gasping, reacting to Taako’s touch. His hand his so soft compared to his own, calloused palms. Taako’s fingertips follow the span of his finally-free cock and his thumb rolls over the head. The entire length twitches excitedly and Taako giggles, “Somebody’s sensitive.” He leans in to kiss at Magnus’ hipbone.

From there, he places kisses closer and closer to Magnus’ cock while ghosting his fingers up and down the shaft. Magnus has to put real effort into keeping himself from squirming. The press of lips is slow and deliberate, barely skirting by the base and then moving to his thigh. Magnus whimpers and his cock _throbs_ , much to Taako’s gratification.

Then suddenly, Taako bites at Magnus’ inner thigh, eliciting a sharp yelp. He keeps his teeth there, sucking on the skin and relishing in Magnus’ hand in his hair, pulling tight. “F-fuck, Taako…!”

He nibbles hard enough to leave a circular mark and when his teeth finally relinquish their bite, Taako drags his tongue over the red spot left behind. “Don’t want you popping off too early,” he says. And Magnus knows it was probably for the best but a bead of sweat runs down his brow from the stress. He never knew his own body to be so sensitive.

To make it up to him, Taako folds his arms over Magnus’ abdomen and ducks down, lavishing the head of his cock with his tongue. “Ooh, gods, Taako…” sighs Magnus, resting an arm over his eyes. He keeps one hand fitted in Taako’s hair and fights the urge to buck into his mouth.

“Mmn. If there’s anything you want, you just let Taako know,” says the elf, licking a stripe up the shaft.

“This is good… It’s perfect…” sighs Magnus. So Taako returns to the head of his prick and purses his lips around him. He breathes steadily through his nose as he starts bobbing, slowly working his way down. Magnus makes good on Taako’s request that he make noise, all sighs and gasps and groans. Taako notes his self-control, feeling the strain in his arm as he tries to keep himself from shoving Taako all the way down. His hips are betraying him, though, twitching and bucking with every inch Taako gains.

He works his tongue along the underside of Magnus’ dick, getting him thoroughly wet. It doesn’t take long for the salty taste of precum to bead at the tip. He moves back up and gives Magnus’ head a considerate suck before removing himself with a soft ‘pop.’ His tongue swipes at his lower lip to cut the string of saliva and pre that follows.

“You can be rougher with me,” says Taako. Magnus bites his lip. “I’m a big girl, Maggie, I can take it.”

“I don’t want to hurt you,” says Magnus, running his thumb over Taako’s lips. His pulse flutters when Taako delivers a kiss to his palm.

“You won’t,” he promises, “But I _am_ going to need your help jamming this massive fucking meatstick down my throat.”

Magnus turns beet red but he laughs. “Oh my god, don’t call it that.”

“Only if you be a good boy and just…” Taako guides Magnus’ hand back to the crown of his head. He takes the hint, grabbing hold of his hair. “Right,” says Taako. And he takes a deep breath before sinking back down onto Magnus’ cock.

The fighter grips tight and tilts his head back. Taako hums and he feels the vibration of his voice running through him. “Fffuck…”

The elf works him over, gaze stuck on Magnus’ face. He _moans_ and watches the way his voice makes Magnus bite his lip and squeeze his eyes shut.

Taako manages to swallow most of Magnus’ impressive length but he’s missing a few inches. He keeps his jaw slack and cheeks hallowed, tongue slowly lavishing every bit of skin he can manage. He unfolds his arms from Magnus’ stomach and grabs his thighs.

Their eyes meet and Magnus tentatively pulls on Taako’s hair to drag him further down. He gasps softly when Taako’s eyes roll back and he gives an approving moan. “Let me know if I’m hurting you,” he says quietly. Taako is about to make a sarcastic sound but Magnus bucks hard, holding him tight by his hair, and instead, Taako gags.

Tears prick at the corners of his eyes and his nails dig into Magnus’ thighs hard enough to make him hiss but neither pulls back. Magnus thrusts into Taako’s mouth, groaning as his cock repeatedly hits the back of his throat.

It’s everything Taako wanted. His choked whimpers have Magnus muttering sweet nothings, unable to take his eyes off of him. “Oh my god, Taako… It’s so good… You’re so…”

His shoulders are shuddering and it’s difficult to get any air in as Magnus begins to roll his hips with vigor, keeping Taako pressed against him. They both know he’s close, so Taako endures the task with pleasure.

Magnus wants to ask where Taako wants him and what’s okay but he was told to be rough. So he mentally crosses his fingers, hoping he isn’t crossing any lines as he murmurs, “I’m going to cum in your throat, Taako.”

To his delight (and relief), Taako responds with an enthusiastic moan. He manages to open his tearful eyes and his look is _begging_ , please, oh gods, _please_. So Magnus moves his hand to the back of Taako’s head and keeps him still. All he can do is moan and choke as Magnus’ fucks his open and willing throat with abandon.

He sputters when Magnus lodges himself deep and erupts with a keening shout, Taako’s name on his lips. It’s more than he expected, somehow. His eyes cross and roll back behind shut-tight lids as he pours all of his focus and concentration on swallowing every last drop.

Magnus slowly rocks his hips to milk the last few waves of orgasm from his system. He’s so lost in the afterglow that he nearly forgets the iron grip he has on the back of Taako’s head. At least, until the elf begins shaking and weakly tapping his leg.

With a quiet swear, Magnus surrenders his hold. Slowly, Taako lifts himself up. His expression is dazed and his chin is dripping with sweat and saliva and pre. His long hair is a mess, strands sticking to his face. He’s never looked so beautiful.

“Magnus…” Taako breathes, his voice hoarse. Magnus cups his jaw and pulls him into an affectionate kiss, tasting himself on Taako’s lips. The elf latches onto his neck and gives a contented sigh.

When they part, Magnus tilts his head to deliver a peck to his forehead. “Mmm. You know I’m not done with you yet,” says Taako.

“I know,” says Magnus, grinning from ear to ear. “Just give me a second. Tell me what you want.”

Taako tucks himself underneath Magnus’ jaw and the fighter starts combing his hair with his fingers. Soft, smooth hands push along his ribs and down his sides in warm, soothing touches as he recovers.

“Well,” says Taako, “If you can fuck my ass half as good as you can fuck my face, that would be _ideal_.”

Magnus laughs and says, “Alright. I think I can manage. Can I touch you?”

“Of course,” says Taako. He tosses his shirt to the floor and lays himself out beside Magnus, who slips one arm under his head and goes exploring with the other. Calloused fingers tease at Taako’s nipples, earning him a quiet moan. It’s enough for Magnus to latch onto one with his teeth, gently rolling the nub between his jaws and flicking his tongue across it. Taako scratches at the back of his neck and chews his lower lip, arching into those adoring bites.

Magnus’ thumb plays with the other until it’s erect and then carries on downward. He finds that Taako’s hips are sensitive, if almost ticklish. Touching too lightly makes him squirm and giggle and shove at his hands. But firmer presses and deeper scratches have him moaning loudly, covering his mouth and lifting himself off of the bed.

Magnus moves from one nipple to the next, sucking the erect nub into his mouth and lashing his tongue over it. Taako’s legs spread and his nails rake across Magnus’ shoulders as he wheezes a frantic, “ _Please_ , Magnus…”

Two fingers rise to Taako’s lips. He eagerly takes them in, sucking on each digit and in between. He doesn’t linger, spreading his legs further and scratching at Magnus’ forearms. “Come _on_ ,” he whines.

“Greedy,” grins Magnus. He dips his hand between those legs and slides both fingers over Taako’s entrance. He forces in a middle finger with relative ease, beaming when it causes Taako to cry out his name.

After a few thrusts, he slowly includes his ring finger. Taako mutters into his hand, “Fuck they’resothick…” and Magnus lifts his head from Taako’s chest to watch his expression.

His brow is furrowed and his lips are pressed into a thin line but his skin is flushed from the tips of his ears all the way down to his collar. As if feeling Magnus’ eyes on him, he looks up and smiles, looping his arms around Magnus’ shoulders. He gives Taako a hard thrust and he yelps. “Is it okay?” asks Magnus.

“Yes, yes, fuck it’s fine. Stop being such a tease,” he gasps, bucking into Magnus’ hand. He’s getting hard again, watching Taako writhe like this. He gasps when Taako grabs the base of his cock and gives him a slow stroke. His hand is covered in something warm and slick. When he looks to the wizard quizzically, he’s only given a wink.

Magnus uses his arm, still hooked under Taako’s neck, to lift him up. He angles his wrist and starts to finger him full heartedly. One hand still clinging to Magnus’ shoulder, the other pumping and slicking his dick, Taako moans into the open air. Magnus kisses his collarbone, right on top of the blotchy, new bruise. He kisses Taako’s jaw and nibbles at his earlobe, issuing a series of grunts as Taako’s hand works his shaft.

Abruptly, Taako releases him and pushes him away. Panting like a dog in the summer sun, Magnus removes his fingers and sits back, watching Taako crawl into his lap. He straddles him and lets his arms hang loose atop his shoulders, hovering over the head of Magnus’ sufficiently wet cock.

“I want you to tell me,” says Taako.

He asks, “Tell you what…? Taako, I’ll tell you anything…”

The elf rolls his hips to let the length of Magnus’ prick slide over the globe of his ass. Magnus’ hands go to grip Taako’s waist but he doesn’t move him; merely holds onto him and stifles a needy groan.

Taako rests his forehead on Magnus’ and says, “Whatever you need to tell me in order to live without regrets, Magnus. I want to hear it.”

Magnus is almost embarrassed by the soft whine that escapes him. He holds Taako close, breathing him in and focusing on his warmth and the steady, but quick, beating of his heart. Taako is being so sincere… it’s almost surreal. A part of him is afraid of waking up at any second.

Whether it’s a dream or not, Magnus lifts his head from Taako’s chest to find those eyes settled on him, patiently waiting for an answer.

Magnus says, “I love you, Taako.”

And Taako squeezes Magnus tight, burying his face in his hair. Magnus returns the embrace with a massive and elated sigh of relief. It’s difficult to believe the amount of stress that melts off of him with those three, simple words.

Taako lifts Magnus’ face and says, “I love you, too, goofball. I’ve been snatching your shirts for years. What took you so long?”

Magnus chuckles, moving his hands back down to Taako’s hips. The press of his thumbs makes Taako shiver. “Like I said… I wanted it to be perfect. You deserve better than this.”

Taako rolls his eyes. “Uh, are you kidding? Dim candle light, raining outside, everything on the brink of disaster… It’s better than, I don’t know… _nothing_.”

They share a smile and meet in another kiss. Taako rocks back against Magnus’ prick again, smirking when then fighter gasps. As if he forgot what they were here to do in the first place. Taako mutters against his lips, “Fuck me like you mean it,” and then slides his tongue past his teeth.

Magnus guides Taako’s hips back and is surprised by how easily the head of his cock pushes into his tight ring. Then again, who knows the full extent of what magical lube is capable of.

Taako clutches Magnus’ hair, biting at his lips. He gives Magnus’ bottom lip a tug and then moves down to kiss blindly at his throat.

They manage to get Magnus in half way before Taako hisses in discomfort. So Magnus takes control of his hips, rocking him gently back and forth until they can afford another inch. Then two. Taako is shuddering and biting at Magnus’ neck by the time he’s able to take Magnus to the base.

“Ohh god,” breathes Taako, hands on Magnus’ wrists to stop him from moving. He takes a deep breath and rolls his body back and forth like a gentle wave. It takes him only a minute to adjust to the size. “Fuuuck, Mags, how about you save some dick for the rest of us,” he groans. Magnus chuckles proudly.

And then Taako is lifting himself up and slamming back down with quick, successive bounces. Magnus’ neck cranes back and his hands slip on Taako’s waist. “Mmm? Yeah?” he asks, leaning back to get a prettier angle for Magnus to look at. “Unf. Fuck. Like that?”

He presses his fingertips to Magnus’ chest and with the upmost ease, guides the man onto his back. Then he reaches back, balancing himself on Magnus’ thighs as he continues to bounce on his cock. The view is almost too much. Magnus drags his own nails across his chest, hoping the pain will ground him. It’s almost too much of an effort to take deep breaths but Taako shows his appreciation with a self-satisfied smile.

“Holding out for me?” he says. He slows his movements considerably, making slow and wide circles with his hips. Magnus issues a shattered groan, shutting his eyes and laying an arm over them. God, he could cum right then and there.

But Taako stops moving all together and takes his wrists, pinning them over his head. He shakes his head, “Mmm mmm, eyes on me, baby. And don’t you dare pop until I’m ready to stop, got it?”

With a breathless laugh, Magnus agrees. “Alright,” he says, “But I’m taking over.”

He flips their positions, pinning Taako’s wrists to his sides. The elf wraps his legs around Magnus with a coy grin.

Magnus says, “I want to hear you,” sending a jolt of heat down Taako’s spine. Then he fucks him into the mattress, reveling in all of the ecstatic screams Taako lets loose for him. He squeezes Magnus with his legs, fighting the grip on his wrists, and meets each thrust as best he can. His own neglected cock aches.

“Ohmygods, Maggie, Magnus, ohfuck, please…!”

Magnus grunts, quickening his thrusts to an almost brutal pace. Taako claws at the sheets, straining his wrists. It’s _perfect_ , each thrust hitting him just right and sending white-hot jolts of electricity throughout his body and coiling in his stomach. The stretch is _so good_ and tears slip down his face as he’s edged closer and closer.

He’s fighting hard against Magnus’ grip now, screaming, “Please! _Please!_ Magnus! Ah-! Ah--! I need it!”

Magnus finally lets him go, only to wrap his arms tightly around Taako’s thighs. He lifts him just a few inches off of the bed but it’s enough to make the elf cry in sweet, sweet rapture. He strokes himself frantically, free hand twisting up the sheets and head shaking back and forth.

“T-Taako…” Magnus groans. It’s all he can say without losing the concentration he needs in order to keep from climaxing.

Taako is gasping, barely able to see through his hazy vision long enough to find Magnus’ face. He moves his hand from the sheets to Magnus’ cheek. “Please,” he says, “Please, Magnus. I—“

He can’t last another second. Magnus pulls Taako into a crushing hug, frenetic thrusts coming to an abrupt halt. He issues a splintered and piercing cry as he cradles Taako’s head to his shoulder. “I-I love you! Taako!”

Simultaneously, Taako clings to Magnus’ body and moans, “Magnus, I love you…!” They hit their peak together, bodies clapping as Magnus thrusts with every wave of orgasm. He’s barely aware of the absolute mess Taako’s made of their stomachs.

Like a tire letting out air, Magnus sighs, collapsing to his side with one arm over his lover. Taako pushes hair away from his own face and lets his arms drop weakly above his head. They catch their breath with smiles on their faces. When they finally look at one another, they laugh.

“Wow. We could have been doing that this whole time?” says Magnus.

“Mmm. What a shame, right?”

Taako considers washing up like a regular person but who the fuck is he kidding. He’s not a regular person, for one thing. And furthermore, he is perfectly comfortable right where he is. A quick prestidigitation spell makes swift work of the cum on their stomachs and in the sheets. Magnus says, “That’s super handy.”

“Never slept with a wizard before?”

“I thought you hated Never Have I Ever,” teases Magnus. Taako shoves him gently.

They enjoy the afterglow side by side. Once the heat wears off, Taako curls up against Magnus’ body.

They’re both half asleep, lulled by the sounds of the rain picking up outside, when Magnus says, “Hey Taako?”

“Mmyeah?”

He asks, “Does this mean you’ll stop stealing my shirts?”

Taako giggles and it almost sounds menacing. He says, “Heeeell no, my man. Way too comfy.”


	8. The Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taako and Magnus settle in. The team starts formulating a solid plan. The rain picks up.  
> Explicit content in this chapter.

Morning breaks but there is no sun. Only the thick, gray blanket of clouds showering Solcikai in rain. Magnus finds the sound of rain to be soothing and remains in bed even after he’s (technically) woken up. It isn’t until he reaches out to find that he is alone once again that he cracks open his eyes.

As he feared, Taako is not present. He grumbles to himself, too tired to go searching.

He turns his head to hide his face in the pillows, allowing himself to go through the hundreds of scenarios flashing through his mind. Scenarios where Taako regrets the sex or, worse yet, regrets the words they shared. He imagines a scenario where Taako goes back to snapping at him again for not… what was it? Abandoning him? Or whatever the hell all of that was about. He pictures Taako silently squirming out of Magnus’ grasp in the middle of the night to sneak into Lup’s room and rave about how _bad_ it was. He can hear them laughing at him in his mind and it makes his stomach twist into knots. Logically, he knows none of these cases are true. He has known Taako long enough to recognize his sincerity.

Regardless of his worries, the door cracks open and Magnus’ heart races. He inhales deeply through his nose and is greeted by the smell of freshly brewed coffee. Taako sets the mug on the bedside table and lights a stick of insence. The two scents mingle in the air, complimenting each other well. Magnus smiles.

Elven fingers dive into Magnus’ hair, pushing it away from his face. “Rise and shine,” says Taako. Magnus hums, burrowing his face deeper into the pillow. Taako scratches gently at the back of Magnus’ neck and leans in to nip at the crest of his ear. But now he’s gotten too close for his own good.

Suddenly, Magnus hooks an arm around Taako’s waist and tugs him into the mattress, pinning him to his side. With a stunned laugh, Taako swats at Magnus’ shoulder. “Come on!” he complains, “we’re making breakfast downstairs and we’ve got things to—“

With a gruff sound, Magnus turns his head and silences Taako with a kiss. He’s overjoyed when Taako immediately melts into it, fingertips traveling through his hair and down his jaw. Their lips move together like a lazy river until Taako pulls away, grinning at Magnus’ tired attempt to chase his mouth.

Taako pulls Magnus’ head against his chest and pets the back of his neck adoringly. Despite what it may have seemed, Magnus _had_ intended to get up. But this new position has him so placated that he begins to drift off again. Taako combs hair away from his brow in order to pepper his temples with the softest kisses.

“Come on, lazy bones, we have work to do,” he says, gently. Neither of them makes a move to leave the bed.

“I’m comfy,” Magnus mutters, squeezing Taako closer. They fit together like pieces of a puzzle.

Taako says, “Your coffee is gonna get cold.”

Magnus tilts his head and finds Taako’s neck. He doesn’t need to do any checks for magic to know that there’s a minor illusion hiding the big, dark bruise across his collarbone. It’s a shame, really. He wants everyone to see his handiwork. Nonetheless, he chews at the skin where he knows the bruise is hiding. Taako sucks in a breath and the sound encourages Magnus to bite harder.

“Fffu—… Magnus…” His fingers twist in Magnus’ hair and then Taako tugs hard when his teeth graze a particularly sensitive bruise. Teeth are replaced by lips, leaving gentle kisses. With a sigh, Taako mutters, “Five minutes,” and makes himself comfortable.

Five minutes turns to twenty as their hands roam across one another’s bodies. Eventually, Taako straddles Magnus’ thigh and begins to grind. It’s enough to not only wake Magnus up completely but also send him into a frenzy. He squeezes Taako’s ass to pull their bodies flush as he covers every inch of skin he can possibly reach with kisses.

Those twenty minutes are heavy with gasps and heat. Taako makes several (although half-hearted) attempts to take control but Magnus is dead-set on pleasuring him, first. Not only that, Taako is quick to realize that the fighter is enjoying himself pleanty. It’s endearing, really. Seeing how much he gets off on pleasing his partner. And he’s damn good at it. Taako soon becomes too desperate to concentrate on his proper handjob tecniques. So he settles on clinging to Magnus’ shoulders as the man fingers his ass and allows him to grind his bare cock tight against his abs.

They’re both surprised to find that their position is enough to send Taako over the edge. Magnus hooks his fingers inside and nips his ear, whispering, “I love you,” and Taako becomes a shuddering mess, muffling his cries against Magnus’ neck and coming on their stomachs. Magnus’ expression softens and he quickens the thrusting of his fingers, his other hand squeezing Taako’s waist. He murmurs, “I’ve got you… You’re so beautiful… I’ve got you.”

Taako shivers as Magnus’ fingers leave him, still trembling with a beaming smile on his face. Magnus is content to stay that way, holding Taako through the aftershocks of his climax. But the elf licks his lips, catches his breath, and sits up to trail kisses across Magnus’ jaw. He gingerly drags his nails down the man’s chest and says, “Alright, handsome, your turn.”

He moves down and clutches Magnus’ hipbones, immediately pursing his lips around the tip of his weeping cockhead. His tongue drags over the slit to gather the generous amount of pre before his head dips and he’s coating the thick shaft. He can feel the muscles in Magnus’ abdomen twitch and he hums delightedly.

“Ah… I’m already so close, Taako…” Magnus mutters with a hint of embarrassment. If his mouth weren’t full, Taako would tell him there’s nothing to be embarrassed about. In fact, Taako feels rather proud of himself for getting Magnus to this point without having to touch him. Much.

He sinks further and further down and hums and bobs and sucks and puts his tongue to good use.

Taako finds those hands in his hair again, pulling him down the rest of the way so that Magnus’ dick is thoroughly lodged in his esophagus. He barely has time to think to himself, _He wasn’t kidding,_ before Magnus erupts with a thoroughly delectable gasp.

Magnus’ hands are guided away from Taako’s hair as the elf takes his wrists and pins them to his sides. He slowly lifts himself from Magnus’ prick until he’s hovering over the still-coming tip with his mouth wide open. Half-lidded eyes meet Magnus’ star-struck ones. Cum strings from between Taako’s lips but he catches every burst in his open mouth. Magnus keeps his hands at his sides as Taako releases his wrists in favor of pumping him dry.

Then, dutifully, Taako swallows and Magnus involuntarily groans at the sight. Taako leans in to kiss him and Magnus is all too eager to taste himself on his tongue.

When they finally part, they’re tangled side-by-side and staring at one another. Taako admires every bit of stuble on Magnus’ jaw whilst Magnus counts the freckles on Taako’s nose. He brushes hair away from his face and says, “Good morning.”

Taako grins and flicks his chest (with all the consequence of tossing a pebble at a boulder). “Morning.”

Magnus squeezes Taako’s middle in a brief hug. He says, “I should probably get up, huh?”

“Now there’s a thought…” replies Taako with a teasing tone. “Maybe you could drink the coffee I made you, too, while you’re at it. Didn’t we promise to keep it professional…?”

“Something like that,” says Magnus. He chuckles and takes a deep breath, savoring every moment and committing the feeling to memory. Releasing Taako, at long last, he sits up and stretches. “Does that mean we gotta tell Lucretia about this? Doesn’t she have to write it down for like… posterity?”

Taako laughs and cuts the air with his arms. He says, “Hell no,” and slices at the air again, “I am not going to recount the salacious details about Magnus Burnsides’ fuckstick eight inches deep in my—“

“Holy shit, Taako—“

“I’m just saying. I don’t think the poor girl could handle it, is all.”

They clean and dress themselves before rejoining the group downstairs. Magnus moves to heat his coffee but finds that his mug is hot as he passes Lup by. He turns to her but her eyes are locked on Taako, a wild smirk on her lips. It’s the most knowing smile he’s ever seen and despite not being on the receiving end of her look, he finds himself feeling embarrassed. Taako, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to mind. His indifference is beyond compare.

“Where the heck have you two been?” asks Merle.

“Liftin’ weights, homie. Maggie’s helping ol’ Taako get jacked. Can’t you tell?”

Magnus catches Lup mouth, ‘Jacked _off_.’

“Uh huh. Sure,” says the disbelieving dwarf.

Magnus wonders what Lucretia is jotting down in her journals so early in the morning.

“Alright,” says Lup, “now that we’re all here, it’s time to get to work.”

 

The rain pours hard that evening. The howling wind is loud enough to penetrate the stone walls of the tavern and interrupt the quiet thoughts of the IPRE. They decide to set their work aside for the day. After a shared meal, they head to their respective rooms. Magnus catches sight of Taako following his sister into her room and decides to remain downstairs.

There, he finds Barry, still pouring over his work. Magnus takes a seat near him after they exchange acknowledging glances and he glances over the multitude of papers. It’s not pertaining to the villages or the Emrie; it’s about the Hunger. The ever-looming threat that trumps all else. He turns his gaze back on Barry.

“Any news?” asks Magnus.

“Not sure…” he sighs, tapping a pencil against the wood of the table. He begins to organize the papers and set them aside, declining Magnus’ polite offer to help. “I think I’m working too hard,” he grumbles to himself, “Lup says I need to relax. But how can I? You know?”

“Yeah, I know,” says Magnus.

“I saw them kill kids, Magnus.” He sighs and drags his hands down his tired face. “It’s easy to forget that evil has always existed in the world. We want to save everyone in all of these worlds but the truth is, in those worlds, there are murderers and just… All kinds of evil that doesn’t deserve to be saved. Shit. I don’t know what to say, I just…”

Magnus stands up and gives Barry’s shoulder a firm shake. He says, “I’m gonna make us hot chocolate!”

“Hot…? What? Why?”

“Because you need to be reminded of the good in the world, Barry!”

“No, Magnus, that’s not…” He blinks and purses his lips, considering. And then Barry says, “Alright, fuck it. Yeah. I need to relax.”

“You need to relax!”

“Do you know what you’re doing?”

Magnus moves to the stove and begins rummaging around. He needs milk, cocoa, sugar, salt, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg… “Yeah,” he says. He places a saucepan on the burner and pours in the milk.

Barry cocks an intruiged brow, turning in his seat. He watches in scientific curiosity as Magnus crafts a surprisingly elegant mug of hot cocoa. When he brings two drinks back to the table, Magnus says, “I couldn’t find any whipped cream but I figured an extra splash of milk would be good. I uh… I hope you like it!”

“I didn’t think you’d go all out like this,” Barry admits.

“Oh! Well, Taako taught me how to make it and it’s actually really easy, so…”

Barry smiles. He blows on the liquid and takes a sip, humming in appreciation. “It’s good,” he says.

“It feels good,” says Magnus. He clarifies, “I think I’ve been learning that, like… Sometimes… you gotta take it slow. It’s relaxing and it’s totally worth it.”

“So you’re taking up cooking now?” asks Barry.

“No, no, no, I don’t think so,” laughs Magnus.

The men share their drinks in relative silence. It’s comfortable. Barry’s eyes wander to his stacks of paper but Magnus nudges him. Barry grins and he shrugs with a _'what can you do,_ expression.

“Hey, by the way,” says Magnus, “I’m assuming you found Penina’s aunt?”

“The kid? Yeah. She was asking about Taako, actually. Lucretia would know more about it. She was the one who knew where to find the kid’s aunt.”

“Shit, yeah, last she saw of Taako, he’d gotten messed up by that trap,” Magnus realizes.

“You can probably go see her after the storm’s let up.”

They fall back into the quiet. Barry finishes his drink and reaches to take both cups to the sink. But he realizes Magnus still has half a mug. “Not feeling it?” he asks.

Magnus murmurs, “Taako’s is better.”

“Naturally,” says Barry. He places his own cup in the sink. “By the way, this is just pure curiosity, but uh… Are you and Taako…?”

Magnus’ gaze snaps onto him. Barry realizes quickly that Magnus is uncomfortable, or at least unsure, with the question so he waves it off. “You know what,” he says, “Nevermind, that’s uh… Really personal.”

With a forced chuckle, Magnus says, “No, don’t worry about it.” He’s relieved. He hasn’t gotten the chance to ask Taako what they are, exactly, or how he feels about talking to the crew.

The scientist stretches and yawns. He’s about to mention hitting the hay when Lup appears at the foot of the stairs, wearing a long shirt. She bats her eyes at Barry and says, “Hey, Barry? You’re not busy are you?”

He grins and Magnus notes that he seems much more confident than he used to. There was a time when Lup would breathe in his general direction and he’d flush from head to foot. But here, he smiles and says coolly, “Not really, no. Why?”

Lup leans heavily against the frame of the threshold and coos, “I’ve got a star chart I want you to take a look at.”

Magnus can’t help but laugh. “A star chart. Sure!”

He goes quiet as she hooks a finger under the hem of her shirt and lifts, revealing the hip of her underwear. The fabric bears a print of stars against a dark blue sky. He swallows thickly and shrinks under her triumphant gaze.

“Think you got time to help a girl out?” she asks.

Barry’s cool façade has melted. He adjusts his collar and nods, following her up the stairs. She shoots Magnus a wink and Barry mutters a quick, “G’night.”

Magnus responds, “Goodnight!” and stares into his drink. Although the public displays are generally kept to a minimum between Lup and Barry, it’s no secret what goes on behind their closed doors. Magnus wonders what the crew would think of Taako and him if they found out… Or do they already know…?

His gaze wanders to the papers stacked on the table and he reminds himself that there are more important matters he could be considering.

Unfortunately, all he can think about is whether or not it would seem clingy to knock on Taako’s door. _Probably_ , he tells himself. His drink is cold.

Magnus disposes of the chilled hot chocolate in the sink after half an hour of pondering to himself. He nearly jumps out of his skin as lightning strikes and a deafening crack of thunder follows immediately after.

On his way to his room, Magnus pauses in front of Taako’s door. He considers knocking. He decides against it. And he enters his own room while pulling his shirt off. The door closes and he tosses the shirt to a corner of the room. For the second time that night, he’s given a start.

“Shit!” he cries, spine hitting the door as his spots Taako sitting delicately on his bed. The elf places a hand on his own chest, eyes wide. “You scared me, Taako!”

“Says the guy who spent an entire year popping out of bushes,” says Taako, looking offended. Magnus issues a nervous laugh and then a heavy sigh.

Light floods the room for a split second as lightning cuts through the air just outside Magnus’ window. As the thunder roars, Magnus catches sight of Taako’s expression. His skin is unusually pale and his hands are shaking. Furthermore, his ears are pinned back and his shoulders are stiff. Magnus has seen Taako in life or death situations looking calmer than he is in that bed.

But they lock eyes and there’s no doubt about it.

Magnus won’t say it out loud but he knows. And Taako knows he knows. And Magnus approaches the bed with his arms open so that Taako can fly into them. He clings tight as the storm rages on, his deep breaths interrupted by nervous gasps. Magnus trails a hand through his hair.

“Wanna… uh… Play a game or something? Take your mind off of it?”

Taako scoffs playfully but he shakes his head. “Could you just… Let me stay here? Tonight?”

Magnus blows out the one candle on his bedside table as he climbs into bed. He tugs the covers over the both of them and says, “Yeah, whatever works for you.”

Taako tries to sound casual as he says, “You’re a real pal, Maggie,” but another flash of lightning brings that look of terror back on his face. It comes and goes almost as quick as the corresponding thunder but Magnus catches sight of it nonetheless. Magnus pulls Taako down and holds him to his chest. Taako focuses on the sound his steady pulse.

Taako comments, “You’re so calm.”

“I like storms,” he says.

“I like the sound of rain,” murmurs Taako.

And for a second, Magnus can see it clearly. Taako doesn’t talk about it but he’s well aware of the past he shares with Lup. Their young lives on the road, bouncing between homes and caravans… There must have been many nights with weather like this, minus the comfort of a roof and warm bed. He can imagine them, _see them_ , huddled under a tree or within the flimsy confines of a makeshift tent as a storm rages on around them. Perhaps a gentle rain would be calming on some nights… But lightning and thunder? A different story entirely.

Taako presses a kiss to Magnus’ jaw, appreciative and tender. Magnus cards his fingers through Taako’s hair and tells him that he’s welcome in his bed any time he chooses. Taako returns the sentiment.

He forgets to ask Taako what they are or who should know about it, if asked. He meant to but somewhere between the small talk and the tired kisses, he drifts off.

When he wakes up, he is alone in his room and the storm is as loud as ever. It’s hard to tell how long he’s been out.

But he can hear people screaming outside. And when he rubs his eyes and opens the curtains of his window, he sees it.

Fire. Burning up the world, even through the thick blanket of rain.

“ _Shit._ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay on this chapter; life caught up to me lol But thank you so much for your support. Your kind words really helped me knock this one out, bit by bit. Still more to come! Let me know what you think!


	9. Just Kids

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is an intermission chapter that takes a brief look at Lup, Barry, Lucretia, and Merle's journey up to this point.  
> What should have been an easy trip to pick up the Light of Creation becomes more than they bargained for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW for violence and mass murder in this chapter. Please read with caution.  
> Thank you, as always, for your support! Let me know what you think <3

Four people in red robes traverse through the woods, guided by four native villagers. Lucretia writes furiously about every little detail, even as they walk. She scribbles new flora when she sees it and asks frequent questions.

“Gotta love her enthusiasm,” chimes Merle.

Lup and Barry grin at one another as the dwarf hurries to walk alongside Lucretia, supplying her with even more questions to ask. They enjoy the opportunity to hang back and hook their fingers together, brushing shoulders from time to time.

“I’m surprised Magnus didn’t want to come,” says Barry.

“Really?” asks Lup. Barry reconsiders.

“Maybe he feels bad about what happened last time so… he wouldn’t want to let Taako out of his sight,” he hypothesizes.

“ _Maybe_ , you say?”

They smirk at one another.

Lup mutters, “Five bucks says they hook up before we get back.”

“No way,” laughs Barry, “Ten bucks says they’re sick of each other and move their rooms to opposite ends of the Starblaster.”

“Ten bucks,” Lup agrees, “You’re on.”

The couple shakes on it, the bet sealed.

Lucretia slows to walk beside Lup. She says, “We’re coming up on a village, now. Bonikai. We can converse with the locals to find a place to stay since it’ll be getting dark soon.”

“Sounds good,” says Lup, “My feet are t-i-r-e-d as _hell!_ How you holdin’ up, Lucy?”

Lucretia’s dark skin turns a bright shade of red at the nickname. She tucks a stray lock of hair behind her ear and hugs her journal closer to her chest.

“I’m—“ Her stomach growls before she can even begin to speak. Her journal slides from her chest to her stomach as she tries to muffle the noise. “Um. Yeah,” she chuckles. “Could go for a decent meal.”

“I’m feeling peckish, myself,” admits Barry.

“Cool. I hear you, I hear you,” nods Lup, stroking her jaw thoughtfully. “If I can get my hands on a kitchen, I’ll whip up somethin’ good and fast. Any requests?”

 

When they arrive in Bonikai, they’re greeted with awe and excitement. Mostly. Lup briefly catches sight of a few stragglers, watching with wary eyes. Something about them doesn’t vibe with the rest of the town. But she tucks that bit of information away in order to greet the interested villagers.

They ask hundreds of questions. Merle speaks for the most part, loud and proud. Lucretia becomes busy with entertaining the questions of a small, human girl. By Lup’s estimate, she seems no older than seven years. But she’s fascinated by Lucretia, shamelessly reaching out to touch her hair. Lup notices that they have similar hairstyles and, in fact, could pass as relatives.

Barry joins the IPRE’s guides in searching for a temporary home. There are no taverns in Bonikai; it’s a small town with a tight-knit community. Children run and play freely in the streets and neighbors treat each other like family. Not quite as bustling as Lolikai but charming, in its own way.

Lucretia approaches Lup, snapping her out of her thoughts. “We’ve found a place to stay,” she says, holding the hand of the child she’d been speaking with. Lup tries to ask for her name but she hides, shyly, behind Lucretia.

So Lup follows Lucretia as Lucretia follows the child and the child guides them to her home. They’re greeted warmly and the child’s mother ensures that there will be enough room in the spare bedroom for the four of them. The guides from Lolikai split off and find lodging next door.

After a brief tour of the small, but spacious, abode, the mother heads to the kitchen. Lucretia moves upstairs to collect her thoughts and Merle starts small talk with Barry in the living room. Lup follows her host.

“Thank you,” she says. “I never caught your daughter’s name. I think she’s intimidated by me. Not that I blame her. Everyone is.” She flips her hair playfully and the woman offers a soft smile. Technically, Lup is much older than the woman hosting her and yet… She seems unbelievably wise.

She says, “Her name is Penina. It means ‘little pearl.’ She is precious to me.”

“And you are…?”

“Hinapouri,” says the woman, “But please. Call me Hina.”

“Ooh, I love it,” says Lup, “I’m Lup. It means ‘fucking incredible’ in uh… Elvish.”

Hina smiles softly at Lup. She offers, “Please make yourself comfortable. I’ll prepare dinner.”

To which Lup hurriedly replies, “Oh, hell no, no, no, look--! I appreciate it but offering up your home to four strangers is already a lot. I’d be more than happy to do the cooking! I’m a rather accomplished chef, if I do say so myself.”

“I am always eager to share my recipes with guests,” Hina insists. “But you may assist me in the kitchen, if you wish.”

“Fair,” Lup says. And with a snap of her fingers, the stove lights up. Hina’s eyes go wide and she presses her back against the counter, away from Lup.

Lup raises her arms, blinking wordlessly. “Um…? Was it something I said?”

The woman slowly relaxes. She says, “You are… not from here, correct? Not of this world?”

“Yeah, no,” explains Lup, “We’re from another plane. Do you not do magic here or…?”

Hina quickly draws the curtains of the kitchen window before she hurries back to Lup, speaking in hushed tones. She says, “Dearest, we do not conjure fire here. It is a sign of malice and is only to be used in emergencies. Did… they not tell you?”

Lup shakes her head. In Lolikai, villagers seemed to love Lup’s abilities to command fire. No one mentioned any poor connotations associated with the act.

Hina chews her lip thoughtfully. After some consideration, she pulls Lup down to sit with her at the table. “I will make this short,” she says, “Not long ago, a village that specialized in conjuring and commanding fire rose up. They made demands on other villages and would often burn them to the ground if there was a lack of… compliance. A resistance all but wiped them out but… This was not too long ago, you see.”

“So there’s still hard feelings,” says Lup.

“…Yes, you could say that,” Hina replies. “Not all are as patient as I am. Many have seen terrible things and if they were to witness you making fire like that… They would not hesitate.”

Lup nods. She says, “I understand. And I apologize.”

Hina dismisses the apology gently, smiling and assuring her it was an honest mistake. Together, they prepare a grand dinner. Penina sits near Lucretia, chattering away. “She’s never like this,” muses Hina, beaming proudly, “It is nice to see her come out of her shell.”

It’s a perfect meal. Merle tries to dazzle Penina with stories from other planes to allow Lucretia a moment of peace in the bedroom. Barry finds Lup and steals her away, dragging her to the edge of town. They stare at the sky, hand in hand.

He’s trying to point out a constellation to her, fascinated by how similar it looks to another constellation they recorded on the previous plane. He theorizes that the time in the universe that they arrive on the planes could be differing and, therefore, if the stars _are_ the same, there’s no guarantee they’ll be in the exact same place every cycle. He explains these things, knowing full well that Lup is hearing him but not quite listening.

When he attempts to stump her with a question out of left field, she answers him with a perfect rebuttal. “I can’t catch you off your game,” he laughs.

“And you never will,” she grins. The slyness of her smile softens and she squeezes his palm. “…Hey, Barry?”

“Yeah?”

She stares at him, now. Studies him without having to simultaneously hear him. Her free hand touches his face and traces a path down his jaw. She can feel his skin heating up under her touch, which causes her to giggle. “Gods, Barry… What will we do when this is all over? Do we just… settle down? Will it still…” She takes a deep breath and focuses on the sensation of his free hand running along her neck and into her hair. “Do you ever wonder if it’ll still be like this…? When we’re not forced to look at stars or go on adventures twenty-four-sev… Are you…?” She bites her lip. Even after everything, she finds it difficult to be so vulnerable. But if there’s anyone she can trust, it’s the man pressing a kiss to her forehead, waiting patiently for her to finish.

She asks, “Are you still going to love me?”

Barry says, “Lup… when I’m with you, I’m always seeing stars. Waking up next to you is an adventure. I’m never going to be bored and I’m never going to leave you.”

She chuckles, snaking both arms around his neck as his move down to her waist. Only in matters of love would their roles be reversed like this. “You’re such a romantic,” she says, rolling her eyes.

“You love it,” grins Barry.

“I love _you._ ”

“And I love you, Lup.”

They kiss under the night sky. It seems like mere minutes but Merle finds them in the dead of night, lying side-by-side and stargazing between kisses. He huffs and says, “Alright, you two! That’s enough! We gotta roll in the morning so get your asses to bed!”

“Okay, _dad_ ,” drawls Lup. Barry chuckles nervously, apologizing.

They rest. They eat breakfast. They thank their hosts and then they depart. Lucretia wears a crown of flowers, which Lup can’t help but gush upon.

“It’s so cute,” she says, leaning in to smell them. Lucretia shrinks under her praise.

“Penina made it,” states Lucretia.

“Maybe I’ll make you one, sometime. You look _adorable_ , Lucy.”

“Save the flirting, Lup,” says Lucretia, although she smiles in good humor.

“I can’t help it, I was born this way,” sighs the elf dramatically, falling back to join Barry. In doing so, she rudely places herself between Barry and Merle.

The dwarf scoffs. “Hey, we were talking!” he exclaims. Lup hooks her arm under Barry’s and sticks out her tongue. “Just juvenile,” mutters Merle.

It’s peaceful for nearly half an hour. Nothing but the breeze in the leaves and the crunch of dirt under their heels. Then, Lup’s ears twitch and her eyes begin to dart back and forth, searching the brush. Barry opens his mouth to ask what’s caught her attention but she claps a hand over his mouth.

Suddenly, she stops and the party follows suit. They all stare at her, watching on edge as she reaches for her wand. “…We’re not alone,” she murmurs.

And on cue, they’re surrounded.

Their guides immediately recognize the threat and shout to run, peeling away and scattering into the woods. The IPRE stick close together, running as a unit. Lucretia loses a few notes as she reaches for her wand and shoots magic missiles at their pursuers. As she covers the rear, Lup leads from the front. Fire launches in all directions as she attempts to lose them.

To her initial surprise, they launch fire in return. But it makes sense, of course. Hina had already told her everything she needed to know. These were the villagers who specialized in “fire magic.” Or more specifically, evocation magic. She can tell that their abilities are limited but it’s still more than enough to level villages made out of goddamned mud, wood, and leaves. 

After countless blind attacks into the trees, the team begins to slow. They realize they’re no longer being followed. Lup says, “We have to go back. What if they attack Bonikai?”

“No,” says Lucretia, “We need to recover the Light of Creation, first. We can’t let it fall into the wrong hands.”

“Maybe we could split up?” suggests Merle. No one agrees. “Just a thought,” he says, shrugging.

“I think Lucretia’s right,” says Barry, “They probably only attacked us because we were outside of town. There weren’t that many… The villagers would easily outnumber them.”

Lup relents. They never reunite with their guides. All four had scattered into different directions and then disappeared. Lup hopes they went back to Bonikai to warn them.

They closely follow the paths set by the foot traffic of other travelers. It’s all they can do without their guides. When they pass through other villages, they share what happened. Villagers are hesitant to believe their claims but Lup picks up on a word: Emrie. When she asks about it, she learns that it’s the name of their attackers. The people who use fire to burn down entire towns. The people who were, supposedly, slain for the greater good.

When they camp, Lup stays awake to watch for any movement in the night. She has an uneasy feeling of being watched at all times but no checks reveal Emrie in the dark.

After a few days, they arrive. Solcikai is massive compared to the previous villages. Security is high. Lup shows the blessing of the chief from Lolikai and the team is greeted at the gates by a well-spoken man.

“What’s with the guards?” asks Lup, “You guys expecting trouble?”

“There have been attacks,” explains the villager, “Nothing too major, so far. We want to keep this information hushed for the time being. Our chief has advised against causing a panic.”

“Understandable,” nods Merle. “Say, you gonna let us in or what, buddy?”

“Yes, absolutely. We’ve been expecting you. Although, I was under the impression you would be accompanied,” the man says.

“We ran into some trouble, ourselves,” says Barry.

“I see. Then, please, follow me and you can explain everything to our chief in private.”

They are guided through town. On the far end, overlooking the ocean below, is a grand building. Despite its size, it seems older than the rest of town. Inside, they’re welcomed by the chief. She accepts their gifts of fine clothing, commenting on the impeccable craftsmanship. And once she hears their story, she says, “I know why you’re here. You wish to take the Light. The messengers from Lolikai told me about your ship that came from the sky! And I know it is only right to give back what does not belong to us. If this Light came from the sky, as did you, then there it must return.”

She stands, folding her hands in front of her and taking a few steps closer to the group. “That being said, I must ask you for a favor.”

She explains that there have been multiple attacks outside of the village. Undoubtedly, it is work of the Emrie from the fallen village of Emerdai. “Furthermore, we have seen a rising case of… missing children. Usually, when children go missing, they are older. Rebellious. They turn up days later or in a nearby village… But these children are young. And they’ve been gone for weeks.”

The IPRE look amongst themselves. Lup’s fingers curl into her palm in fury. “They’re stealing kids?” she hisses.

The chief smiles softly. Sadly. She rests a hand on Lup’s shoulder. “Please,” she says, “I know there can’t be many of them. But we are not equipped to fight them like this. Help me track down the Emrie and I will gladly give you what you came for.”

Barry places a hand on the small of Lup’s back. And then Lucretia’s hand is on her arm, Merle’s on her hip. With a nod, they come to a mutual agreement.

“Alright,” says Lup, “We’ll help.”

And for the first few days, there are no major sightings. They place traps around the perimeter of the village, cloaking them with magic. Then, a man is found rushing towards the town walls. The IPRE are speaking with one of the guards posted at the front when it happens.

He’s burned from head to toe, bloody and shaking and wheezing. He falls to his knees and Lup rushes forward, calling for Merle. They come to his aid but all he can do is point in the direction he came from, mouthing undetermined words, before he dies.

“We need to go,” says Lup, snapping back up. “Barry, tell them where we’re going and then meet us there. This guy couldn’t have come from too far so it’s probably the next village over.”

“Got it,” says Barry, sprinting back to Solcikai.

Lup runs in the opposite direction, followed closely by Lucretia and Merle. When they arrive, it’s too late. People fills the streets with their screams and their sobs, fire billowing from almost every window of every home. Merle immediately attends to the wounded. Lucretia goes to search for anyone trapped. Lup tries to hunt for Emrie. They’re long gone. Barry appears minutes later, breathless and shocked.

Lucretia brings a man with broken legs to Merle. He’s conscious so she asks him, “What happened?”

And he shakes his head, biting back tears. “They took them. They took the children. My kids,” he says.

Lup curses, gripping her wand tight. “Where did they go?” she asks.

He points to the path leading out of town. Lup says, “We have to go to the next village. Maybe we can catch them there.”

“We’re not prepared,” warns Lucretia. Lup paces but Barry assures her that the time they spend gathering supplies will be time they save later.

Once the fires have been put out and the conditions of the wounded have been stabilized, the team returns to Solcikai. They explain the situation, gear up, and head back out. Two days later, they reach the village of Geradai.

“Not a moment too soon,” says Lup. The Emrie have the villagers rounded up in the middle of town, kneeling before a wagon full of tearful children. Lup catches sight of an Emrie ripping a child out of the hands of her mother, flailing and screaming. She rushes in, sending a burst of flame into the Emrie’s chest.

He flies back and catches the attention of the entire town. She raises her wand and points it at the man guarding the wagon.

“Let them go,” she demands.

The fighting begins. Magic missiles and fireballs fly haphazardly through the air as villagers scatter. It’s chaos. But one thing is for certain: the IPRE are winning. They begin to push back the Emrie until they’re on the verge of retreat. 

Lup is laughing, finding joy in the disorder and in her own power. She’s about to cast another magic missile when the smile disappears from her face and a chill sinks into her bones.

An Emrie holds up a child by the wrist. He’s a small kid, scratching at the hand on his arm and kicking at the air. His quiet demands to be set free become earth-shattering screams as he’s suddenly set ablaze. Lup’s eyes go wide and her muscles stiffen. Shock floods her system. And then rage. Blind rage, turning the chill in her spine to an overwhelming heat.

A fireball with the intensity of the fucking sun launches at the Emrie. He’s killed instantly but it does nothing to quell Lup’s fury. She turns on her heel and runs back into town. To her horror, the IPRE are at a standstill as the Emrie threaten to set the wagon on fire. Lup raises her wand to attack them from behind but it’s too little, too late. A villager attempts to rush for the wagon, likely to save his own children, when it combusts.

Lucretia screams. She tries to put the fire out with a spell of her own but the damage is done. The heat immediately ends the lives of every child in the cart.

Lup’s attack fails as she falls to her knees, stunned by the immense loss. She is down for only a moment, the adrenaline in her blood urging her forward. Barry calls out to her but his voice doesn't reach her ears. Everything is quiet for Lup as she walks into the center of town.

Magical energy radiates off of her, growing hotter with each passing second. By the time she is standing in front of the Emrie, she’s engulfed in flames. They lower their hands in awe, much to the surprise of Lup’s teammates.

“What _are_ you?” asks one of the Emrie.

Lup answers them with an explosive attack. Fire shoots off of her in every direction. Some Emrie take the brunt of it, whilst a few escape. Lup tries to chase them and she takes a step forward but it’s too much. All of her energy expelled, she drops to her knees.

She doesn’t realize it’s quiet. She’s trembling and shaking her head in disbelief, even as Barry wraps his arms around her. “Lup,” he says, “Lup, we _have_ to go.”

“They were just _kids,_ ” she whispers, “They were _children_ , Barry… I can’t… I can’t…”

He lifts her up. Merle urges that the team head back to Solcikai to regroup and enlist help.

Lucretia suggests that all survivors follow them. “It’ll be safer behind their walls,” she says. And so they follow, having nothing left to bring with them. Geradai is still in flames as they depart.

Lup and Barry remain stationed outside of Solcikai to combat incoming attacks. The chief tells her people the situation and urges everyone to remain calm and within the walls of their village. Merle and Lucretia aid the chief in keeping the peace.

One night, Barry is brushing Lup’s hair and massaging her shoulders when he asks, “How are you holding up?”

And Lup turns to face him, surprising him with the tears streaking down her face. She says, “I’m so fucking tired of acting like I’m okay. Like I’m not worried out of my goddamned mind. What if they got Taako? What if we get back and he…?”

Barry pulls her into his shoulder and she hooks her arms around his neck, sobbing into his shirt. Into her one safe place in the world. She says, “It was so hard without him. I don’t want to lose him again. I’m tired of losing us, Barry. I’m so tired.”

He strokes her hair, kisses away her tears, and blows out the candles. When he begins to fall asleep, he can feel Lup attempting to get up. He holds her gently by the wrist and asks her to stay.

“I want to make sure they’re okay,” Lup murmurs. Barry gives her a tug.

“You have to recover you spells,” he says, “Come on.”

“I can’t sleep,” she argues.

So Barry sits up. He says, “Then I’ll come with you.”

Together, they set out to assist the guards in front of town. “You don’t have to do this with me,” says Lup, feeling a semblance of guilt that Barry is giving up his rest.

“I don’t really stay asleep anymore, anyway,” he says.

A trap snaps nearby. They pull their hoods over their head and join a small team of guards in investigating. Even with night vision, it’s difficult to see who it is in the thick of the woods. A bulking man, carrying two others. One is a child. Lup hunts the man relentlessly, ready to attack. She’s certain he’s an Emrie, kidnapping another kid.

The group closes in when, suddenly, Barry places a hand on Lup’s shoulder and steps forward. “…Magnus?”

Lup blinks. She can see them now. Magnus. And the little girl from Bonikai. And…

“Taako?”


	10. Fallen Star

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The storm rages on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warnings for general death and destruction. Please read with caution. This is a plot-heavy chapter. Let me know what you think!

Magnus stares in shock at the world outside his window. Drowning in the storm. Burning. The streets are packed with people running for their lives and streaks of light move across the sky.

Lucretia appears in his doorway, still dressing herself in her red robes. “Magnus?! Are you up?”

He shakes his head to ground himself, pressing a palm to his forehead.

“What…? What’s happening?”

“It’s the Emrie,” she says, placing a foot on a nearby chair so she can quickly lace up her boots. “Get dressed.”

“Where’s Taako?”

“Already out there.”

Lucretia stands in his doorway as he dresses himself with whatever he can find. Shirt, pants, boots, and his gear. Together, they enter the streets of Solcikai as it burns. It’s madness. Pure chaos. It’s difficult to tell the Emrie from the villagers.

So, instead of going on the offensive, they take to defense. Magnus kicks in doors to burning buildings. Alongside Lucretia, they rescue as many people as possible.

They charge into a building on its last leg, ready to collapse. Inside, they find a family huddled under a table in the corner. Lucretia puts out some of the fire with a wave of her wand and Magnus rushes in. They’re unconscious, choked by the lack of oxygen in the air. Magnus lifts them and carries them outside. After he’s made sure they’re breathing, he turns around.

“…Lucretia?!”

He runs back in just as a support beam begins to crack. He spots her struggling to lift another beam off of the body of a young boy. Magnus comes to her aid and she slides the boy towards the door.

The beams begin to groan and snap. With a shout, Magnus leaps at Lucretia and pushes the both her and the boy out of the house just as the roof caves in and the support beam splits in half.

Lucretia scrambles to get back on her feet. “Magnus!”

He groans, attempting to stand. His leg is pinned and he can’t feel his foot. A shattered shin, no doubt. Lucretia shoves at the heavy wood holding him down, her hands slipping as the rain picks up.

“Magnus, you have to get up…!” she cries.

“Nng… This does _not_ feel good,” he says, sitting upright. Together, they free his leg from the wreckage. Lucretia winces.

“Oh gods, Magnus, you…”

“I can’t walk,” he confirms. She places a hand on his shoulder.

“I… Okay, wait here. I’m going to find Merle. Can you move your arms?”

He rotates his shoulders and nods. She hands him his ax and promises to return swiftly before sprinting down the street.

The family comes around, sitting up slowly and coughing the smoke out of their lungs. Once they realize where they are, the parents gather up their children and run for cover, leaving Magnus alone. He doesn’t blame them. 

All he can do is remain where he is, alone in the rain. The sky is dark but the streets are bright with fire from every perspective. He lies on his back and lets the rain run down his face and over the burns he’s beginning to realize he has. Well. You don’t run into a burning building without getting a lick or two.

Magnus sits up again when he hears footsteps. Three men approach with malicious intent and, despite his injury, Magnus stands. He grips tight to his ax and balances himself on one foot.

He’s ready to fight but he can’t help feeling a certain sense of doom. They have wands. They don’t need to get anywhere near him. They could light him up from where they stand, well out of arm’s reach. Magnus grits his teeth and they raise their arms.

Heat surrounds Magnus and he pinches his eyes shut. He’s waiting for the pain to hit him but it’s just _heat_. And then he feels a gentle hand on his back.

Magnus opens his eyes and lowers his ax. Lup winks at him from his side, her wand outstretched. The Emrie have disbursed, chased off by the ring of fire she encircled around Magnus and herself.

“That doesn’t look good,” she says, motioning to his leg.

“That’s what I said,” Magnus chuckles. He slumps and she catches his weight, lowering him slowly.

“Careful,” she says.

“Lucretia went to find Merle,” says Magnus.

“How long has she been gone?”

“Honestly, I couldn’t tell you.”

Lup gently peels back Magnus’ pant leg, wincing as he hisses in pain. Her wince turns into a grimace and she mutters something along the lines of needing ‘that damn dwarf.’

“So, you saw Lucretia,” says Lup. Magnus nods. “Cool. You wouldn’t happened to have seen Taako, would you? Or know where he is?”

Magnus’ heart sinks. He shakes his head. “I was kinda hoping _you_ would know.”

“No. Shit. We split up a while ago but I haven’t seen him since.”

“Why didn’t anyone wake me up?” asks Magnus.

Lup shakes her head slowly and runs her fingers through her wet hair. “It happened so fast,” she explains, “Taako came into my room to ask me something but before he could get it out… There was this _explosion_. Only _you_ would sleep through it, Burnsides.”

Magnus chuckles at that. But whatever shock had been numbing his leg is beginning to wear off. He groans as a wave of agony washes over him. Lup swears, squinting to see through the rain. “Where the hell are they…?”

She clicks her tongue and then ducks under Magnus’ arm. She says, “We can’t stick around. C’mon. Count of three.” And on three, they stand up, Magnus leaning heavily on Lup. They move as quickly as possible through the streets, following the trail of wreckage and debris. It’s all a blur to Magnus who can’t think of anything other than the pain in his leg and where the rest of his team is.

“Stay with me, Mags. You’re getting heavy,” says Lup.

“I got it,” he says, although he’s having more and more trouble managing his weight.

Lup’s ears twitch with interest and she pauses. “This way,” she says, hurrying down a narrow alley. Magnus has no choice but to follow.

Light flashes around the corner and Lup quickens her pace. Around the bend, they find Lucretia, valiantly fighting off a mob of Emrie on her own. Lup pushes Magnus against the nearest wall, says, “Stay here,” and dashes to stand at Lucretia’s side.

Magnus slips down the wall, grunting as he sits on the wet earth. He knows he should be thinking about his team as a whole but he can’t help wondering where Taako is. Why did he leave Magnus’ bed? Why didn’t he wake him up? Why did he run off on his own…?

Is he okay…?

Suddenly, Merle is patting his cheek. “Stay with me,” says Merle, “That’s it. Yup. Wake up, sleeping beauty.”

Magnus hadn’t realized he’d closed his eyes. Lup and Lucretia hang over him with concerned expressions whilst Merle’s other hand hovers over his leg. He’s already begun the healing process.

“You’re lucky,” says Merle, “This was bleedin’ you pretty fast! And you splintered the bone all to hell. Almost had to chop the damn thing off!”

Magnus chuckles. “I’m glad you’re alright,” he says.

“I’m sorry it took so long,” says Lucretia, “They blocked me off.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Magnus replies, waving her off and grunting as his wounds close up.

Lucretia turns to Lup and says, “I ran into Barry. He managed to shake a few Emrie off of my tail but I’m not sure where he went. I think he was heading towards the east side of town.”

“Yeah, he’s heading to the chief to protect the Light. He knows what he’s doing,” Lup says with the upmost confidence.

Magnus can hear thunder. Not as close as it had been but not too far. He thinks of Taako, again. Wherever he is, Magnus hopes the thunder isn’t shaking him.

“Can you walk?” asks Merle. Magnus stands, wobbles, and catches himself. He rotates his foot and gives Merle an approving nod.

“Yeah… Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it, buddy.”

“Where do we go now?”

Magnus turns to Lup. She sighs heavily and turns to the east. “I’m sure I don’t need to tell you guys this but all of our plans are out the fuckin’ window. The priority now is getting back the Light of Creation. After that, we’ll regroup. Split into two teams. One team will head back to the ship with the Light. The other hunts down and levels the Emrie. Sound good?”

Lucretia bites her lip but she agrees after realizing she doesn’t have anything better in mind. “Alright. The quickest way to the chief is… This way.”

Lup leads the group back into the streets. There is almost nothing left. Magnus is still dizzy, which is evident enough that Lup keeps a hand on his back as they hurry forward. “Lean on me if you need to,” she says.

“Thanks.”

He doesn’t realize just how much he took her up on that offer until they arrive. She stops suddenly and he nearly bowls over.

“…Something isn’t right,” says Lup.

The chief’s building is practically untouched. It’s unguarded and the doors are wide open. The team approaches with caution.

Merle pops his head in first, calling, “Barry?”

His voice responds from the throne room, “Don’t--…!”

And then Lup is tearing through the hall with fire on her heels. She kicks open the door to the throne room with her team behind her.

Kneeling over the unconscious chief is Barry, blood covering half of his face from a deep cut across his forehead. He has his wand drawn and is encircled by five Emrie, equally armed. He stammers, “L-Lup, you’ve got to get out of here. They—“ 

A staff cracks across the back of his skull and knocks him out cold. Enraged, Lup screams and is about to charge forward when Magnus pulls her into his chest. She kicks and flails, demanding to be released.

“Lup!” Magnus says, “Lup, stop! T-Taako…!”

She sees him, then. And she goes stiff in Magnus’ arms.

Standing at the throne is an old woman, adorned from head to toe in jewelry and bright plumage. She has Taako, barely conscious, knelt in front of her with a knife to his throat. Her fingers are curled in his hair, holding him up.

“I see we’ve got your attention,” she croons.

Lup is shaking in silent fury. Lucretia places a hand on her back and carefully steps forward.

“That’s far enough,” says the Emrie woman.

Lucretia stops. She asks, “What are you going to do with them?”

The woman’s smile is crooked and full of awful, jagged teeth. “We’re going to let them go. We’re going to let you all go.”

“Under what condition,” says Lup, her voice as sharp as the knife being held to her brother’s neck.

The woman chuckles. She says, “We will take the star and burn this murderous world to the ground.”

“If you don’t give us the Light, you’re _all_ going to die,” explains Magnus, “The Hunger is going to consume _everything_.”

“I’m aware,” says the woman. She nods and one of her guards reveals the Light of Creation, wrapped in a silk scarf. She eyes it adoringly. “I have had visions of the darkness that would consume this world we intend to rule. As lovely as this Light is, it is a harbinger of our ultimate destruction. You may take it.”

There is a brief moment of silence as confusion washes over the IPRE. The woman explains in simple words, “The fallen star engulfed in flames… It is not this Light, precious as it may be. It is you.”

And her knife moves from Taako’s throat to pointing at Lup. “You have the fire of our leader. The one these heathens took from us. But we will take her back. Come with us, lead us to victory, and you will all be spared.”

“You won’t kill him. You won’t have anything on me if you do,” says Lup.

“Won’t I?” The knife tucks back to Taako’s throat, tight enough that he stirs and a whimper escapes his lips. Lup’s fingers twitch. Magnus’ chest tightens.

“I am _not_ going to hurt people for you.”

“They hurt us _first_ ,” the woman hisses, “This is _vengeance_.”

“It’s gone too far,” Lup retorts, taking a bold step forward.

Taako’s eyes crack open and Lup softens. She murmurs, “Taako…”

And Taako smiles, despite everything, as he says, “You’re not gonna listen to these wack jobs, are you?”

Magnus can hear the self-sacrificing implications in Taako’s voice. He says, “No…! No, Taako…”

“Need you to trust me, Mags,” says Taako. The knife presses to his skin, slicing just enough to find blood. He winces with an uncomfortable grunt.

“Alright, look,” says Merle, hands up in defense, “You people think you’ve got the upper hand but… we don’t even care what happens to you! If we don’t get the Light, hell, if we _die_? It doesn’t matter! We’re practically immortal so… You _could_ kill us but we’re the ones who are comin’ back. You’re the ones that get screwed.”

Lucretia offers her voice, “You seem to have regained your numbers in the time you’ve been exiled. Why not live in—“

“Enough,” barks the woman. Her hands are shaking, only slightly. It’s enough to let everyone know that things are not going according to plan. Her gambling chips are falling from her fingers. She says, “This is not up for debate. You _will_ come with us and lead us to a fiery victory. This world will go on and we will control it.”

Everyone has something to say in argument but Lup is the first to speak. She tilts her chin up and says, “Fine.”

“What?!” Magnus exclaims.

“Give us the Light and I’ll do it. What do I care what happens to this world? We’ll all be done with it soon enough.”

Lucretia stares, disbelieving. And they all continue to stare as Lup approaches the woman but it’s Lucretia who takes her sleeve and tugs. “Lup, please…”

The elf shakes Lucretia off.

Two guards grab Lup by the arms and the woman sheathes her knife. A satisfied smile is on her thin lips. “Perhaps, once you’ve heard the horrors we’ve had to endure, you will be understanding. When we’re done, I’ll return your brother to you.”

“I don’t care,” says Lup, “Let’s get this over with.”

Taako says nothing. He tries to catch Lup’s eyes to read them but she doesn’t look at him. He whispers, “Lulu…?”

She continues to stare straight ahead, even as they turn her away and lead her forward.

The woman tosses the Light and Magnus fumbles with it before securing it under his arm. “Lup, what do we—“

“Head back to the ship,” she says simply, “We’re done here.”

They watch in shocked silence as Taako is dragged to his feet and urged forward at spear-point.

Magnus tries to act but Merle pushes at his knees. He fights the impulse to push the dwarf aside. Instead, he watches helplessly and says, “Taako?”

As Taako walks by his team, he says, “Don’t worry about me, big guy, it’ll work out.” He smiles and winks but Magnus can tell how unsure he is.

“I won’t leave you, Taako,” says Magnus.

“I know,” Taako replies. Then he’s gone. They’re all gone.

Merle is healing Barry on the floor as Lucretia checks on the chief. Magnus runs his fingers through his hair and eyes the Light, asking himself what happened and what’s going to happen and if it was worth it. Was it worth it…?

He turns to face his friends, all busying themselves. He says, “What…? What do we do? What the hell just happened…?!”

“Relax, Magnus,” murmurs Lucretia, “We have the Light. Priority is heading back to the ship and—“

“We need to go _after_ them!” shouts Magnus. Lucretia shoots him a frustrated glare that shuts him up.

“We all want to save them,” she snaps, “But we have to _trust_ them. If Lup is planning something, you’re going to fuck it up by barging in.”

“What if she’s _counting_ on Magnus to go barging in?” says Merle with a tone that is teasing and completely inappropriate for the tension in the room.

“This isn’t the time, Merle,” Lucretia says.

“What if he’s right, though?” asks Magnus.

Lucretia pinches the bridge of her nose and shakes her head. “The Light is the _priority_ ; why am I having to explain this to you?!”

“Then you take the Light back. I’m going to go after Taako and Lup and I’m gonna—“

“Get yourself killed.”

Merle stands between them, thrusting his hands out to encourage them to stand down. Magnus’ fists are balled tight and a passion burns in Lucretia’s eyes. Merle says, “Alright, you two, that’s enough. Magnus, we’re gonna need your help getting back to the ship. If you wanna help, then start with the people asking for it.”

Magnus opens his mouth but he realizes how selfish the words coming out are. So they die on the tip of his tongue and he has to bite his lip, fists shaking at his sides. With a heavy breath, he sighs.

“Fine. Alright. You’re right. You’re both right. I’m sorry.”

No one says anything after that. They bring Barry around and make the decision to leave before the chief has time to wake up. “She’ll probably want us to stay… But we can’t do that right now,” says Lucretia, “We have to get the Light back to the ship.”

“Plus, I’d really like to make sure the captain is doing okay,” says Barry. This is something Magnus realizes he agrees with strongly. He hasn’t had the chance to think about Davenport since they arrived in Solcikai.

Regardless, his stomach is turning at the thought of leaving Taako behind. Again.

Merle’s hand pats his thigh, snapping him back to reality. He asks, “Ready to go, Magnus?”

And Magnus drags a hand down his face, combing his gaze over the recent destruction of the town. He nods. “Yeah… Yeah, I’m ready.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still trying to knock out these chapters despite life throwing curveballs. I appreciate your patience and your support. Let me know what you think!


	11. Left Behind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The IPRE make it back to the ship. ...What now?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your support has been MASSIVELY appreciated! And as always, let me know what you think!

With broken spirits and scarce spellslots, the IPRE abandon Solcikai. It continues to burn behind them, even in the shower of rain still falling from the darkened sky. Thick with clouds. Thicker with smoke. 

The night comes and goes unnoticed. Without sunlight piercing through the storm, the hours drag on in perfect darkness. Furthermore, the hours pass in silence. Magnus, Merle, Lucretia, and Barry wordlessly take shifts in guarding each other once they’ve decided to take a rest.

No one comes to bother them. No one greets them in the villages they pass through. No one seems to be alive for miles and miles around.

Magnus finds himself thinking nonstop about Taako. He can still see his face, warmly lit up by candlelight, flushed and smiling and leaving kisses on his bare chest. He thinks of his fingers running through his hair, clinging to his shoulders during the storm, tightening in the sheets… He decides he hasn’t told Taako that he loves him nearly enough. Those happy moments were too short lived. He needs to see him again. As soon as they get the Light back to the ship, Magnus is going to rush in.

A soft but jagged sigh causes Magnus to realize he can’t sleep. Slowly, he sits up and spots Barry on the edge of their modest camp. He stands just outside of their makeshift canopy, head tilted to the sky as rain drizzles over his face. Over his furrowed brow and his deep frown.

Another sigh escapes him and he runs the heels of his palms over his eyes. Magnus stands, quietly moving past a sleeping Merle and Lucretia.

“Hey,” he whispers. Barry’s arms drop to his sides but he doesn’t turn away from the sky.

“Hey,” he replies.

“You sound pretty miserable,” says Magnus. He thinks he’s trying to lighten the mood but the words don’t come out the way he intended.

Barry says, “Yeah, you, too.” And they share a sad smile.

“It’s letting up,” Magnus notes.

“Yeah.”

More silence. But somehow, it’s comforting. There’s something familial in the moment and Magnus isn’t the only one to notice. Barry finally looks at him and he says, “Magnus… I know what you’re planning. And I’m coming, too.”

Magnus almost feels bad for realizing only just then that Barry must have been thinking of Lup just as much as he’d been thinking of Taako. Probably even more-so. So he nods and wraps an arm around Barry’s shoulders, leading him back under the canopy.

“You should get some rest,” says Magnus. And Barry chuckles, grabbing his jacket from near the fire and using it to dry his hair. He doesn’t argue. Mangus relieves him of his shift and Barry falls asleep in Magnus’ blanket, seeing as it was already prepared.

 

The rain stops on the day they arrive but the sky is still overcast. Regardless, it’s bright enough to know it’s daytime. And to the team’s immense relief, Lolikai is still standing.

Villagers greet them immediately, eager to hear the news. Their eagerness fades once they see the crestfallen expressions on the team’s faces. The four of them quietly make their way to the center of town where the chief awaits.

The town’s witch finds them first. She smiles but her eyes behold them solemnly. Shaking her head, she says, “By the time I could see the fate that would befall you, it was too late to tell you. But I see you’ve managed to make it worthwhile.”

She gestures to the Light, still wrapped up and tucked securely under Magnus’ arm. He holds it even closer, unsure whether or not he agrees with the ‘worthwhile’ sentiment.

The witch guides them to the chief. He sits upon his modest throne in his grandiose hut. Magnus glances about, searching for Davenport. The chief says, “Your captain is safely aboard his ship.”

“Ah,” says Lucretia, taking a single step back, “Then I apologize but it is imperative that we speak with him first. After the Light has been safely placed on the Starblaster, we will return and fill you in on the details of our journey.”

She turns to leave but the chief’s voice rings out. He speaks in a tone that is almost _too_ pleasant and says, “The fact of the matter is that we sent our people with you and their families have been asking about them. I must insist you explain their whereabouts and plans for necessary repercussions before leaving this village.”

“We’re not leaving. Our ship is _right_ there,” says Magnus. His fists tighten as the tension in the room mounts.

“You’ve come a long way,” says the chief, waving a hand to signal his guards to block the door, “A few moments more surely will not be an issue.”

Merle chuckles nervously and says, “I think there’s been some kind of misunderstanding here. We didn’t just go through hell to get stuck in here with you, buddy. Priority numero uno is: this Light is comin’ with us to the ship so that your planet doesn’t get swallowed whole by the impending doom, got it? Or didja forget that part?”

The chief stands and the IPRE gather close together, instinctively on the defense. He says, “Your captain has told me about this Light. And about the Hunger. It reminds me of an evil we once faced…”

“The Emrie,” mutters Magnus. And the chief nods.

“Yes,” he says, “I suppose you met them. And you’ve seen what they’re capable of. But here, we are safe. Did you notice it? How no one here has a worry in the world? It wasn’t long ago that the Emrie threatened to burn our village down. In fact, it was my father who cut down their leader for the greater good.”

“Why do I get the feeling I don’t like where this is going?” asks Merle.

And the chief points at the Light. He says, “The magic protecting this village is dwindling as the Emrie’s numbers grow stronger. With that power, I can protect my people for good.”

“So you knew they were still out there,” growls Magnus, lowering himself and reaching for his ax, “You _knew_ they were still a threat and instead of helping all the other towns, you selfishly hid away out here…!”

“I protect the people of Lolikai. That is my duty,” says the chief. “Because of you, people from my village have died at the hands of the Emrie. For that, you must pay. Either with your lives… or with the power you hold. If you intend to fight us, then you will surrender both.”

Suddenly, the chief and the small handful of guards grab at their eyes with a disoriented shout as Merle casts Blindness upon them. They waste no time in making their escape, Magnus leading the way by barreling through the doors.

Thankfully, the villagers don’t seem to be wise to their chief’s plans. They stare in awe as the four of them dash through the streets and across the beach. They’re breathless by the time they reach the ship.

“Dammit,” mutters Barry, “The doors are locked. Captain’s probably holed up in here. I’m going to need to input the override commands.”

“What does that mean for us?” asks Magnus as Barry gets to work on the keypad.

Lucretia grabs Magnus’ sleeve and tugs, pointing at the village. “It means we have to buy him time.”

Magnus sets down the Light and takes up his ax in both hands, rushing forward to meet the three guards charging them. Villagers gather at the edge of town, curious and terrified. Among them, Magnus spots the witch, watching with a cold indifference he’s never seen on her before.

He blocks a spear coming down on him, immediately turning to parry a second jab from another guard. The third attempts to flank him but receives a swift kick in the gut. It only takes a minute for Barry to crack through the system and get the doors open but in that time, Magnus manages to cut through all three spears and knock the wind out of two of the guards. The third stumbles backwards before giving up and running back to the village.

“Leave them!” shouts Barry, ushering Lucretia and Merle inside, “Let’s go!”

He swipes the Light from the sand as Magnus enters the Starblaster and then closes the door behind them. “Find the captain,” he says, “I’m going to put us on lockdown, again. Lucretia…”

She takes the Light as he offers it out. “Right.”

Merle and Magnus split up to find Davenport as Lucretia sets about securing the Light aboard the ship. Barry readies their precautionary primary defenses.

Fortunately, Merle finds Davenport with ease, locked away in his bedroom. The captain’s quarters are spacious and designed for comfort but Merle discovers his captain resting in a corner with a nearly empty bottle of vodka between his legs. He’s shirtless, which reveals a hastily sutured cut across his chest.

Merle kneels down and gently places his hands on Davenport’s shoulders, shaking him awake. The gnome startles awake, pressing his back to the wall. But when his eyes meet Merle’s, he breathes a sigh of relief. “Oh, god, Merle, it’s you…”

“Yeah, bud, it’s me. What happened to you? Lemme take a look…”

Davenport sits upright and puts the vodka aside. It becomes immediately clear to Merle that he’d been using the alcohol to disinfect the wound and lessen the pain. It’s a fairly fresh wound, to boot.

“It was yesterday,” says Davenport, wincing as Merle’s hands move across his body with a healing glow, “I’ve been noticing activity in the woods surrounding the beach and the village but whenever I’d go to investigate, there was nothing. The chief was asking a lot of questions about the Light, too… I should have known…”

“Almost done,” says Merle gently as Davenport writhes in discomfort. The skin closes up and he breathes his second sigh of relief. 

“Yesterday, he told me that if you guys came back with the Light, it’d be only fair for Lolikai to keep it. Something about the villagers we took with us who never came back… He was acting strangely after they didn’t come back, you know. I didn’t say anything because I was more concerned about my crew… about _you_ guys… But…”

“Hey, it’s okay,” says Merle.

Davenport shakes his head, “No. I’m the captain… I should have realized sooner… Dammit, Merle, what happened out there? Where is everyone?”

Merle carefully explains the situation. He says, “Barry, Lucretia, and Magnus are all here, too. Last we saw them, the twins were alive. But uh… can’t really say whether or not they’re okay, if I’m being honest.”

Davenport lays a hand on the dwarf’s shoulder and says, “That’s alright. I _need_ you to be honest with me, Merle.” Then he stands, rolls his shoulders and pops his neck. Game face. Time to be the captain. Time for a plan. He says, “Do me a favor and gather everyone in the helm. We’re getting the fuck out of here asap.”

Merle joins him in standing, adding a salute that Davenport doesn’t see because he’s fetching himself another shirt. Merle says, “Aye aye, captain!” and heads back into the hall.

He finds Barry right where he left him, just having finished prepping the defenses and locking the doors. Lucretia joins shortly after, having secured the Light.

Magnus is in the kitchen. He stands at the counter, running his fingers over the smooth surface in a haze. It seems like years ago that Taako sat here, idly kicking his feet back and forth as he watched Magnus scramble for ingredients. He was dressed casually and smiling and Magnus couldn’t help but feel like he’d been witnessing a side of Taako that few ever got to see. He can still smell the hot chocolate and beignets if he closes his eyes…

“There you are!”

Merle waddles into the kitchen, tugging at Magnus’ pant leg. “C’mon. Captain wants us up front. We’re gettin’ the hell outta here.”

Magnus follows Merle but he asks, “What about Taako and Lup?”

Merle shrugs and says, “We still got a while to go, here. They shouldn’t be too hard to find. We’ll just scoop them up and that’ll be that.”

He says it as if it’s a given. As if things could be so simple. And for a second, Magnus believes it. Perhaps things can be just that simple.

The crew gathers in the helm as Davenport arrives, dressed finely and without any indication of having been attacked. Merle gives him a wink and he offers a stiff nod.

“Alright, team. Merle gave me the basics. Now that we have the Light, it may benefit us to spend the remainder of our time in this plane adrift the thermosphere of this planet. We’re going to move locations far enough to scavenge for food and supplies before takeoff. With the threat of the ‘Emrie’ groundside, I want us in the air within the next 48 hours. 72 hours, tops.”

“Wait,” says Magnus, “What about Taako? And Lup?”

“Do you know where they are, exactly?” asks Davenport. Magnus feels a chill settle in his stomach.

He says, “Not… exactly. But we can’t just leave them!”

Davenport sighs. “We can make a sweep but I can’t risk the mission by sending half of my crew back into those woods.”

“I’ll go by myself,” Magnus says.

“Magnus, _please_. We’ll look for them from the ship but I won’t send you in there just to get yourself killed. We have to—“

The ship echoes with a loud **_BANG_**. Davenport rushes for the controls as the rest of the team latches onto the nearest railing to keep from toppling over.

“We’re being attacked,” says Davenport, “They’re trying to break into the ship. We have to get off of this beach. Magnus, guard the door. Barry, man the defenses. Lucretia, Merle, on deck. Lucretia at the front, Merle as support. Let’s move it people; we’re up in five.”

The team scatters to their stations. Lucretia leads the way to the deck with her wand out, stunning the first few villagers attempting to pry open the ship’s door. Barry sits himself at the helm beneath Davenport.

As the captain readies the ship for flight, Barry warms up the defense canons. He says, “We haven’t had time to equip them for non-lethal combat, sir.”

“Noted,” replies Davenport, “Only use them as a last resort. You’re on standby.”

“Got it.”

After a mere two minutes, the door dents as the villagers attack it with an improvised battering ram made from stone. Prying tools wedge between the cracks but Magnus knocks them back.

“What the hell is Lucretia doing up there?!” he exclaims. Davenport makes a sound of frustration. He decides to change the plans.

“Barry, take over for Magnus. Magnus, check on Merle and Lucretia. Make it quick and then back to your stations. Engines are still warming up.”

They bolt into action. Barry replaces Magnus at the door whilst Magnus climbs to the deck. There, he finds Merle lying face-down with an arrow in his back and Lucretia in a fierce magic contest with the chief. She stands in front of Merle, guarding his body, but each blast she knocks back threatens to uproot her footing.

So Magnus rushes in, gathering the dwarf in his arms and ducking behind Lucretia. He’s alive but unconscious. The arrow likely hit a nerve. Magnus looks to Lucretia. “You got this?!” he asks.

She whips another blast at her opponent.

“I can’t hold them off with him attacking like this!” she says, narrowly avoiding a responding assault.

Merle grunts as Magnus gently sets him down. And then he grips tight to his ax, takes a deep breath, and launches himself off the side of the Starblaster. Lucretia cries out for him, running to the railing with her arms outstretched.

The chief sees him coming all too late. He’d been focusing on Lucretia, far from expecting a man to come leaping off the ship. So when he looks up and sees Magnus, it’s just in time to take the brunt of a kick to the face.

The engines kick on and the Starblaster begins to lift. Lucretia shouts Magnus’ name as the villagers turn to face him, shocked and awed. Their chief lies in the sand, knocked cold. And standing above him, dusting himself off, is Magnus, smiling at Lucretia and giving her a wave goodbye.

The Starblaster lifts into the air, knocking everyone back. It gives Magnus enough time to start running for the trees. Thankfully, the people of Lolikai don’t share the magical abilities of their chief so they’re easy to lose once he reaches the thick of the woods.

As he runs, he spots the ship flying above. It’s taken damage and won’t be space-ready without repairs. But his friends are aboard and they’re alive and as long as they’re in the air, they’re safe. A great sense of accomplishment and relief washes over him as the ship disappears into the grey clouds. It’s enough to keep his adrenaline up as he tears through the trees for hours.

Once darkness begins to settle in, the consequences of his actions follow. Magnus slows and his knees quake. His stomach shouts protests and his head is pounding. So he takes a rest, climbing into the nearest tree and making himself comfortable on a stable branch. He finds something akin to coconuts and uses his ax to break them open. It’s not much, but it’s enough to stop the gnawing hunger.

Alone, at last. And from here, he can see the clouds have finally started to dissipate. Stars shine through the gaps. Magnus sighs.

What to do? He could look for the Starblaster. Or, perhaps, he could look for the Emrie. He could tell them where to find Lolikai and lead them there, let them set the whole damn thing on fire.

But, no. Never. The chief has been corrupted by his desire to protect his people. In a way, Magnus can understand that. And the people are simply following orders. They’ve likely been lead to believe the IPRE did something terrible. Something worth attacking them for. He can’t fault them. 

Barry said the Emrie killed children. Magnus can’t think of a single explanation for something so awful.

So… _perhaps_ what he’ll do, he thinks to himself, is find Taako and Lup and finish what they started. If the chief of Lolikai doesn’t have anyone to fight, he won’t need the Light of Creation in the first place. Then, everything can be peaceful again.

He rationalizes all of this but as he drifts to sleep, he knows where his intentions lie. Where his heart is and where his mind wanders off to.

He told Taako he wouldn’t leave him. No matter the cost, he intends to make good on that promise.


	12. The Witch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus psyches himself up. Lup's plans hit a snag. Again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your support has been MASSIVELY appreciated! And as always, let me know what you think!

It takes a few tries for Magnus to properly wake up. The first time he opens his eyes, he can see the two suns rising, shedding light in through the trees. But every muscle in his body is sore. The events leading up to this point have finally caught up to him, he supposes. And so he closes his eyes again.

Magnus snoozes throughout the afternoon and into the early evening. It isn’t until the suns are nearly set that he finally sits up from his perch and cracks open another coconut.

It’ll be better to travel in the dark, anyway, he decides. The fighter hops down from the tree and utilizes the positions of the suns to begin his journey. Momentarily, he laments the fact that the team hasn’t had a break since discovering the Emrie. But there’s no use in lingering on such feelings. He sweeps them away in order to fill himself with resolve. They’ll figure this out. They’re going to get through this.

He heads north. With nothing but his axe, Magnus works his way back towards Solcikai. It’s the best shot he has to finding Emerdai, the village of the Emrie. At the very least, the IPRE's detailed notes and maps should still be in the tavern they’d lived in during their short stay in Solcikai. Assuming it hasn’t been demolished. Something is better than nothing.

The woods are just as quiet as they had been on their venture back to Lolikai. Even quieter, now that Magnus is alone. He tries not to think about it. He sleeps during the day and travels carefully at night, living off of the land with relative ease. Fortunately, water and edible food are abundant. And every passing day gives him more and more reason to press on.

72 hours pass. Magnus wonders if his team is safe in the atmosphere, yet. The damage to the Starblaster may have prevented the timely departure Davenport had been hoping for but… Magnus can hope. As he falls asleep, he likes to imagine them up there, talking about his sick dive off of the deck and about how Lup and Taako are probably kicking ass, wherever they are. Telling stories over drinks, worriless now that the Light has been secured. Safe. Safe.

They’re safe.

In the night, Magnus realizes he’s stepping through ruins. They’re so thoroughly burned, he figured he’d been traveling through a spacious clearing. But, no. He recognizes this village. When he’d seen it last, it was a desolate town without children… Now it’s nothing. Bonikai.

Magnus’ nose scrunches as the smell of corpses becomes more and more apparent. He buries his nose and mouth into the crook of his arm and presses onward.

This is where Penina lived. This is where her mother was waiting for her. Magnus’ heart aches as he prays to a thousand gods that Penina’s mother is still out there, somewhere. Hiding. Running. Anything, so long as she’s alive. 

For that matter, Magnus hopes Penina is still alive. She was with her aunt in Solcikai when it… _Shit_. He’d planned to visit her after the storm died down.

When he’s finally moved back into the trees and left the ruins of Bonikai behind, his arms drop to his side and he hangs his head, biting his lip. When the Emrie attacked, he was useless. He’d gotten his leg crushed almost immediately and then… Nothing. He didn’t do anything. He couldn’t protect the town, couldn’t protect Lup, couldn’t save Taako…

Magnus slowly sinks to his knees, hand over his heart. It hammers painfully in his chest, twisting with conflicting emotions. He has to get up. He has to press on. He has to rush in. But he’s already failed. Look around. Smell the smoke and the death in the air. You fucked it up, Burnsides. You’re not a protector of anything. You’re just a man in the woods with nowhere to go and no one to save.

“No,” Magnus murmurs, curling in on himself. He closes his eyes and pictures his team as clearly as he can. He sees them at the breakfast table. He can feel Lup’s and Taako’s hands on his shoulders. He can smell the fresh coffee, the fluffy pancakes, the still-sizzling bacon. He can see the amused up-turn of lips as his team—no, his friends—not even that, his _family_ smiles at him from all angles. They laugh. They promise.

In this line of work, promises are a no-go. That’s what Taako said from the start.

But Magnus doesn’t believe that.

He promised his team they’d figure this out. They’d promised each other. Even if he has to spend months down here in a burning jungle, he’ll wake up on board the Starblaster and they’ll move on. Barry is probably already back to his studies. Magnus will wake up on the ship and Barry will have another breakthrough. They’ll be one step closer to ending this for good. And wherever Taako and Lup are… They’ll be there, too. They’ll stitch together on the Starblaster and they can all have breakfast and a good laugh.

Magnus rests his back against a tree, hand still on his heart. He leans his head back to feel a gentle breeze. He’ll do better next time. But for now, he’ll do his best. As far as he knows, Taako and Lup are still alive. Penina is still alive. There are still people to save. Magnus won’t give up on them.

He stands back up, dusts himself off, and moves forward.

 

“Taako. Wake up.”

The elf stirs awake. He grumbles, muttering that it had better be important, before remembering where he is. After all, he’d only been sleeping to kill time. A small cell under constant supervision is not exactly what Taako would consider exciting enough to stay awake for.

“Taako.”

Taako turns to the bars and spots his sister. Immediately, he launches out of bed and they lace fingers through the bars. Guards stand by, eyeing the two carefully.

“How are they treating you?” Lup asks. Taako rolls his eyes.

“Oh, you know. Not getting beaten but it’s not exactly a five-star resort in here.”

She smiles softly, cupping his face and stroking his jaw. It’s been days since they’ve seen each other. Taako holds her hands tight and asks, “What about you?”

“I’m fine,” she says. “I just… I wanted to see you. I wanted to make sure they weren’t hurting you.”

“Can you tell me what’s going on?”

The edges of her smile falter until she can no longer keep it up. So she doesn’t bother, emotion draining from her face as she lapses into stoicism.

Taako visibly shudders. He asks, quieter, “Lulu…?”

Her teeth find her bottom lip as she takes a steeling breath. Her voice is gentle when she speaks. She says, “Taako… All I can tell you is that… I don’t know what’s going to happen. But I need you to behave, alright?”

He offers her a fake smile at that. He says, “I mean, I can _try_.”

Which, in turn, causes a brief flash of happiness to appear on her face. Lup says, “And I need you to trust me.”

“Always,” Taako replies without hesitation. She takes another deep breath and nods, using her grip on his jaw to pull him close. Her lips touch his forehead and Taako’s chest begins to twist into knots. Fear sinks into his bones and it takes all of his concentration to keep from shaking.

“Do you know if they’re safe?” he whispers.

She shakes her head, solemnly. Taako lets out a shuddering breath. This would all be so much easier if he could just know for sure whether or not the rest of the IPRE got back to the ship.

“I can’t stay long,” says Lup. Her words come out slowly, as if she’s trying to squeeze every second she can out of their meeting. Taako holds her hands tighter, refusing to let go. “I’ll try to make sure they put you somewhere more comfortable.”

Taako laughs dryly. “No need to worry about little ol’ Taako, sis. You just go out there and do what you think is right. I’ve got your back. No matter what.”

Lup’s smile is genuine.

A woman clears her voice behind Lup. The same old witch who stole them away and brought them here. Kahekili. The guards step aside for her.

Taako’s knuckles turn white with how tightly he holds Lup. She can feel him trembling and can read the fear in his eyes like an open book. There are few things that terrify her brother. Thunderstorms are up there. But the top of the list, she knows, is abandonment. Loneliness. She whispers, “I’m always here, Taako. I will _never_ leave you. You know that, don’t you?”

He nods stiffly, biting his lip as Kahekili approaches.

Lup’s voice sounds fake as she stands tall and announces, “I hope you can learn to understand one day, brother.”

Taako catches on. He says, “You can’t! This isn’t like you!”

Her hands slip from his and he nearly loses his composure.

Kahekili takes Lup’s shoulder with a smug grin. She says, “Are you prepared to face your destiny, child?”

Lup gives the witch a nod, eyes glued to Taako.

“I’m ready.”

“Good. Then… follow me.”

Lup catches a glimpse of Taako’s fingers twitch with the want to reach for her, just as she is guided away. The guards resume their post and he’s alone, again. He has the half-mind to make a witty remark at the guards to amuse himself but the gloom hanging over him is too much. All he can do is return to his uncomfortable bed and turn his back to the bars, drifting into another meditation.

Meanwhile, Kahekili walks with long strides across the village of Emerdai with Lup at her side. The buildings are made of thick, clay bricks rather than branches and leaves. There is nothing homely about them. Kahekili says, “After the attack, families were shattered. We had to rebuild quickly. Our people did not make homes. We made shelters. Even now, we sleep where there is room and an empty bedroll.”

Lup hums in acknowledgement. She’s studying every detail. Ever since her arrival, she’s been trying to find out where the children have been imprisoned. She assumes they aren’t in a building but rather underground. The only question is… where…?

“Lup, I believe it is time I discuss our plans. I am no fool. I know you are thinking of a way out. I know you do not agree with our methods. But I _do_ believe we can strike an amicable accord.”

The elf glances at the witch. She hums, again. Thoughtfully. Lup says, “Maybe you’re right. I’m listening.”

“Not here,” says Kahekili. Lup knows where she means. Her hut, on the outskirts of Emerdai. Lup hates that fucking hut. Something about it dampens her own magical abilities. It feels like a constant weight on her chest, making breathing difficult.

Nonetheless, Lup agrees. And they head to the hut, Lup swallowing hard as she passes through the threshold and immediately feels the weight descend. Kahekili doesn’t mention it. She sits at her table and brushes aside the spell components littering the tabletop. Lup sits across from her and hopes the impatient shake of her knees isn’t apparent.

“I assume you’ll be wanting me to ensure the safety of your brother,” Kahekili says.

Lup narrows her eyes, glaring at her host. An almost malicious grin curls on her lips. “You’ve already used that trading token, I’m afraid. The fact that I don’t level this whole goddamned village is because Taako is unharmed. You’re gonna have to give me something else if you want me to do the magic murder spree, babe.”

Kahekili leans forward, resting her chin on her interlaced fingers and returning that wry smile. “I figured,” she says coolly. “Let’s start with this: what I want from you.”

“I’m _listening_.”

“Three things: You will lead us to Lolikai. And you will kill _two_ people there—their chief and their sorceress. Once you’re finished, you will burn that village to the ground.”

Lup leans back, resting one arm on the back of her chair. She asks, “Lead you there…? You don’t know where it is?”

Kahekili grumbles and her long, black nails cut lines across her table. “Their last chief, the one who murdered our leader, cast a powerful spell over Lolikai with his dying breath. It hides the village from us. We know where it is… but we can never arrive. Without a guide, we are always led astray.”

Then her grin returns, wicked and malevolent. Her fingers curl into a fist and she chuckles. “Their second-rate sorceress has been breathing life into the spell to keep it going but it’s getting weaker. We’ve been getting closer and closer… I was so close, I could smell the ocean… But _you_ are going to take us there. You’ll kill her. And we will exact our revenge. Their village for ours.”

Lup is silent. She crosses her arms over her chest. The cool indifference she wears on her face hides the rush of thoughts flooding her mind. Plans of escape. Timing. Deception.

Best case scenario, she confirms that the Starblaster is still standing and her family is alive. As long as she can ensure their escape from this plane, she has nothing to lose. Hell, she could kill herself on the spot. Then what would these Emrie fuckers do? They’d be _fucked_.

But what if the Starblaster _isn’t_ there? What if the rest of her team died on the way out of Solcikai or somewhere in the woods…? What will she do? Will she have to adhere to these murderous demands…? There has to be another way.

“Lup,” says Kahekili, catching the elf’s attention, “I am waiting to hear what you require in return for these favors. Unless you’ve had a change of heart and wish to help a desolate town out of the goodness of your soul?” The sarcasm is thick in her voice. Lup wonders if she truly believes that the Emrie are in the right.

“You have to let the kids go,” says Lup.

“And where will they go?” asks Kahekili. Lup stiffens. “I mean… we _could_ do that but… Lup, you understand, we are the only place left that these children can have food and shelter, don’t you? Their homes and families are long gone. The nearest village left standing would be weeks away.”

Lup stands abruptly. Last she knew, Bonikai was still standing. Is it not…?

Kahekili’s smile is the answer to her question. It’s gone.

“We weren’t stealing them,” says Kahekili, “We were _sparing_ them.”

“That’s not true,” growls Lup. Her teeth gnash as she recalls that horrible night…

“Dearest Lup, we are not perfect and we are full of rage. But despite our justifiable anger, we have mercifully spared many of the offspring of our enemies. And we intend to take care of them. Raise them like one of us. And to those who show promise, we may even teach our magic. But…”

The witch stands, too. Slowly. Her nails dance across her tabletop as she skirts around the edge to stand in front of Lup. The elf hates that the witch is taller than her, that she is staring her down. Kahekili says, “If you truly wish to set them free and aimlessly into the woods, then we will comply. Is there anything else you desire?”

Lup’s fists are shaking at her sides. Kahekili chuckles. “Perhaps you aren’t as on board as you pretend to be. I see you’ll need more convincing.”

A knot twists tight in Lup’s gut as Kahekili levels a self-satisfied smirk at her and says, “How did that trade go, again? Your cooperation for your brother’s health…?”

She can’t lose Taako. If they’re the only two left, she’ll need him. She can’t do this alone. And she told him to trust her. She can’t let them hurt him. She won’t. Lup snarls.

“Don’t touch him.”

“Then tell me, Lup. What can I offer you that will make you comply with what you are destined to do…?”

Lup takes a long, steady breath. She closes her eyes. Envisions a plan. She needs to be rational and she can’t let her emotions get the best of her. Not right now.

Behind her closed lids, she sees her family. She sees Barry, looking at her like she hung the stars. She sees Taako, speaking a thousand words with only a look.

And she sees herself, standing between her team and a crystal housing countless souls. They’re watching her, listening to her, as she takes her stand against murdering an entire civilization for their own benefit. She wouldn’t do it then. And she won’t do it now.

The only thing she was destined to do here was stop this from happening.

“Okay,” she says, “…okay.”

She takes her seat. Kahekili does not. The witch’s hands wrap around Lup’s shoulders from behind, holding her down to her chair. “Well?”

Lup is silent for a beat. She feels numb, staring at her hands, curled into fists in her lap. She’d gone into this with confidence, thinking she would have some advantage by locating the Emrie hideout. She thought she'd come up with something by now. She thought her quick wits and magic tricks would be enough to take on this damned murder circus.

But here she is. Cornered, of all things. The worst part being that her captor _knows_ it.

“I need to rethink a few things,” she says at last, pushing through Kahekili’s grip to stand back up.

The witch makes an indignant face, crossing her arms over her chest. “Time is of the essence, my dear.”

“You’ve waited this long. You can wait a few hours more,” replies Lup, keeping her back to the woman. Kahekili smiles, dropping her arms back to her sides.

“As you wish. And how about this—to show my gratitude for your cooperation and your… _swift_ decision-making, I will have your brother moved into a more comfortable captivity. Temporary, of course. He will be freed when your job is done.”

Lup glances over her shoulder and nods. Kahekili lifts a purple, velvet bag from her table of spell components, dipping her fingers into the sack. She follows Lup to the pile of blankets and pillows constructed on one side of the hut, especially for her. The elf parts the silk drapes and sits cross-legged on the blanket nest, lifting her chin high.

“You know the drill, Lup,” says Kahekili gently, “A few hours of rest whilst I see to my business. Can’t have you running around unattended.”

Lup retains her indifference as Kahekili brings a soft powder from the bag to her nose. She takes a slow, deep breath and fights the urge to sneeze. The witch’s fingers brush across her forehead and already, she can feel the world dimming around her. Despite herself, she struggles against the sleep taking hold as a test of her own willpower. But without her magic, it’s impossible. Her head dips a few times, eyelids growing heavy, and then Kahekili is guiding her body down into the blankets.

Lup falls asleep, conscious in her mind but unable to move her body. The perfect place to _think_. Once she awakens, she’ll have a plan. One that will _work_.

…She hopes.


	13. Stale Bread

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus continues his journey to find his friends and makes some hasty decisions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your support has been MASSIVELY appreciated! And as always, let me know what you think!

When Magnus is close to Solcikai, he stops. On their way out, the team had Barry on their side. He was able to lead them through the minefield of traps set up around the perimeter of the town, otherwise hidden by magic. Now that Magnus is back, he realizes he’s without a magic user and won’t be able to see any traps. Assuming they’re still present. Magnus can’t imagine that all of them have been tripped, even now.

So he improvises, grabbing a long branch and using it like a cane to tap out his steps. Additionally, he tries to follow well-worn paths. Any traps along the trails with heavy foot traffic would likely already be tripped and gone.

His instincts lead him through the last leg of the woods without incident.

But the sight in front of him keeps him from any self-confident praise.

The wall that had been built around Solcikai is in disastrous shape. The entire entrance is decimated. He carefully climbs over the rubble and enters the village, a shuddering sigh leaving him at the sight.

Even two weeks after the attack, there is still smoke. Embers seem to burn endlessly in the rubble. It’s quiet. Magnus finds himself searching for any movement in the debris, knowing that the odds someone would survive under all of it for this long would be…

Well.

Despite the destruction, there are still buildings left standing. It isn’t difficult to find the tavern they’d housed themselves in, still in one piece. The door has been torn from the hinges but since the building was empty, it seems to have been otherwise left untouched. Magnus makes his way upstairs. His heart catches in his throat as he peers into Taako’s room. Somehow hopeful that the elf will still be there… Sitting cross-legged on the bed…

It’s empty. Precisely how Taako left it. Magnus lets himself in, rummaging through a few of Taako’s abandoned belongings. He gathers what looks useful. Far be it from Magnus Burnsides to know what is and isn’t a spell component but… Hell. He’s only got his axe on him; there’s more than enough room for some feathers and beads. 

Magnus repeats this exercise in the other rooms, collecting whatever seems important. Lucretia’s journals. Barry’s spare wand. A little of this and a little of that.

When he enters his own room, he immediately locates the bag of runes Taako left him. He ties the silk bag off and finds a decent backpack to store it in.

No one is here. But he’s relieved to have his gear back on his shoulders. Small comforts.

Magnus places the pack on what was temporarily his bed… And perhaps, for one more night, it will be again. He doesn’t know where anyone is and so far, he’s without a clue. Might as well get a decent rest and a filling meal.

Magnus heads downstairs and into the kitchen. He’s no expert but the couple of weeks he spent with Taako on the Starblaster have equipped him with enough knowledge to not burn whatever he touches. After rummaging through the cabinets and pantry, he begins to prepare dinner.

One thing he _can_ say is that he hasn’t learned how to portion food for only one person. He realizes halfway through that he’s making too much. At this point, he has to commit. Saves time on making breakfast in the morning, anyway.

Or so he thinks until the door creaks open and he spins around, brandishing a wooden spoon like it’s a sword.

Penina stands in the doorway, unflinching. The spoon falls to the floor as Magnus rushes forward to scoop her into his arms. Her lack of movement and emotion is unsettling.

“Holy--…! Penina! I’m so glad you’re alive!” he exclaims, carefully setting her back down. She stares at him with wide, unblinking eyes. Magnus tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, his expression both hard and relieved. “…Are you hungry?”

She nods. Magnus steps out of her way as she takes a seat at the table. He returns to his busywork, forcing his gaze to remain on the food. Concern is flaring in his chest but the poor thing looks like she’s been through hell. Magnus can attest that it wouldn’t be far from the truth.

Dinner is made. Magnus pours Penina a glass of water and sits beside her, laying a hand on her back. She’s rail thin. Her hands shake as she attempts to break a piece of stale bread.

Magnus thinks to ask her about her aunt but… judging by her face… he decides against it. He says, “Penina… you don’t have to talk about what you saw or what happened. Just know that I’m here for you so—“

She turns her gaze to him and the look in her eyes strikes Magnus like a bolt of lightning. His hand immediately moves off of her back and a freezing, sinking sensation settles in the pit of his stomach.

She _glares_ at him.

Her voice is hoarse as she speaks, “Only bad things happened since you showed up. I wish you never came here. I wish you would leave.”

She slides off of the chair and runs for the stairs. Magnus wants to chase after her but he can’t move. Guilt is crushing him like a tidal wave. It isn’t until a door slams that he’s able to snap back to his senses. He makes his way up the stairs.

The only door that’s closed is Taako’s. Magnus stands in front of it, holding Penina’s plate. He knocks gently. She doesn’t respond.

“…I understand if you’re mad at us. If you’re mad at me,” he says softly, “But… you should still eat something. I’m just going to leave this here and… I won’t bother you anymore.”

He sets the plate down in front of the door and heads back into the kitchen. It’s difficult to finish his food but seeing as how bad things are, he can’t bring himself to let it go to waste. With each bite nearly choking him, he finishes his meal and dumps the dishes in the sink.

Time passes. He sits at the kitchen table, eyeing the map still rolled up in the corner. Barry and Lup’s map of the surrounding area. He’s seen it before. They spent days looming over it, planning and debating on how to handle the Emrie situation. Look where it got them.

Magnus sighs.

After minutes of pacing and silent delibaration, Magnus decides to take a seat and get to work. He unrolls the map and pours over the details. He marks out the burned and raided villages he passed along the way.

The surrounding forests are thick and vast. Many spots along the paths have already been crossed out. It won’t be easy to locate the Emrie, that’s for sure. Even if he tried to bait himself, he wouldn’t get any information out of them. They seemed more than willing to kill themselves in order to protect their village last Magnus witnessed. He supposes last resort measures were necessary since spells like Zone of Truth could have them spilling the beans with ease. Merle would have been on top of that shit.

Wood creaks in the direction of the stairs. Magnus slowly glances up from his work to see Penina creeping over to the sink with her empty plate. He doesn’t say anything as she pours herself another glass of water. He doesn’t say anything as she quietly disappears back up the stairs and starts up a bath.

More time passes. It crawls by, leaving Magnus feeling tired and _sore_ and anxious. He isn’t exactly built for strategic planning. If it wouldn’t result in him getting hopelessly lost and absolutely nowhere, he’d just rush in. Same as always. Grab his gear and run recklessly headlong into the woods, ready to kick some Emrie ass. But it’s not that easy and there are, as far as he knows, lives on the line. Children’s lives, for that matter. God _damn_ they’ve got him in a bind.

Penina appears at the foot of the stairs once more. She fills her empty glass again and then sits beside Magnus. He cocks a brow at her while she stares at the map, trying to make sense of all the markings and illustrations. Magnus’ heart sinks as she wordlessly points to her village, scratched out with red pencil.

He can’t bare to look at her, even when he feels her eyes glued to him. Her small finger taps the map with purpose, demanding a response. Magnus scratches the back of his neck and says, “I… Penina, I’m sorry.”

Her wrist goes limp and she settles back into her seat, sipping her water.

She says, “Auntie… ran away. She pushed me in front of them and ran away.”

“Wait, she _abandoned_ you?!” Magnus asks. He tries to sound gentle but there’s a definite edge to his voice. Thankfully, Penina seems to understand it comes from concern and isn’t directed at her. She nods solemnly.

Magnus readies himself to give her a speech about her worth and how what her aunt did was unacceptable and in no way her fault but she speaks up first. Penina says, “I don’t have anywhere else to go. But. I’m not afraid anymore.”

Magnus gives her a quizzical look. She stares back at him. With shocking maturity, she sets down her cup and whispers, “The worst has already happened.”

“Penina—“

“I’ll help you.”

“…What?”

She sighs and tugs at the tattered corners of her dress.

“I’ll _help_ you. You wanna find them, right? The Emrie?”

Magnus swallows. He nods.

“I saw them taking other kids away. I think… if I’m good… they’ll take me, too. And you can follow.”

“Penina…” Magnus bites his lip. It’s a risk he’d otherwise refuse to take but given the circumstances, he’s willing to try just about anything. And when he looks at her, he can see the determination to make this _stop_ burning in her eyes. If he doesn’t make use of her, she’ll just go out and try to make use of herself. So he accepts her offer, warily resting a hand on her small shoulder. She seems to allow it so he gives her a gentle squeeze and says, “I won’t let them hurt you. Not anymore. We’re going to get through this together, okay?”

She doesn’t say anything but a smile tugs at her lips. It doesn’t last long. She takes her cup and hops off the chair.

Before she heads upstairs, she turns and asks, “…Can we make breakfast tomorrow?”

Magnus begins to roll the map back up. He says, “…Yeah! Of course.”

Sheepishly, she adds, “…Together?”

Magnus smiles. “Yeah.”

He swears he can hear her wish him a goodnight as she ascends the stairs and then retires to bed. He’s not far behind her, falling back into bed once the dishes have been cleaned and put away. Tired or not, it takes him a long time to fall asleep, given what happened the last time he was in this bed. A part of him wishes he could have slept in Taako’s bed. The smell might have put him at ease…

Or maybe, upon second thought, it would just hurt more.

 

It’s unclear how many hours (or minutes) he manages to sleep before Magnus is shaken awake. He nearly launches out of bed, bolting upright and gasping, sweat on his brow. He’s confused to see that he’s all alone, save for Penina staring up at him with a fearful, fretting gaze. Magnus runs his hands through his hair, wondering why he’s out of breath.

“Hey,” he says, attempting to sound casual, “You scared me! Did you wanna sleep in here? Having nightmares?”

She chews on her lip and plucks at her dress. Magnus has to lean in when she begins muttering.

“Sorry, I didn’t catch that?” he says.

“You were the one having a nightmare… You were screaming… It was scary,” she mutters. Magnus’ face flushes from embarrassment.

He’s troubled to find that he can’t remember his dream to save his life. The last thing he remembers is thinking about Taako’s room and the lingering scent of incense in his sheets and his clothes. Then… nothing.

“Jeeze, sorry, kid, I didn’t mean to wake you. It won’t happen again.”

She doesn’t stop staring. Magnus sits next to her and hums curiously when she lays a hand over his wrist.

“…Is he…? Did you lose him?” she asks.

Magnus softens. He takes a deep breath and lets it out on a sigh. “I don’t know yet,” he replies, “But we’re going to find out.”

As he goes to get comfortable, Penina takes her leave. She shuts herself into her room, again, and suddenly the dream starts coming back. Magnus rests his head on his pillow and he can see Taako laying beside him. It looks like he’s mouthing something… Maybe, ‘I love you’ or ‘I need you’…? 

Or maybe it’s ‘where are you’? His mouth is moving soundlessly and with more and more urgency until it looks like he’s screaming. His lips quiver and then he’s sputtering blood, gasping and screaming and Magnus can’t do anything but watch from a mere few inches away. He looks on in horror as Taako’s eyes roll back and blood erupts from his neck like a fountain. How did Magnus not notice the teeth lodged into his throat until just now?

A wolf, easily twice as big as Magnus, has its teeth sunk into Taako’s neck. It growls low in its throat and Magnus can hear the fatal ‘snap’ that causes Taako to go stiff. And then limp. And then the wolf is slowly dragging him away.

Magnus can’t move. He can’t speak. He can’t scream. Tears run hot down his face. They become hotter and hotter until they’re sizzling and scalding and painful.

They aren’t tears; they’re Lup’s nails raking down his face, over and over. Fire burns just under her fingernails, cooking his skin. Magnus tries to turn away but she squeezes his jaw and gives him a stern look. She threatens to kill him. He believes her. And after what he let happened to Taako, he almost _wants_ her to. She disappears in a cloud of black smoke. 

Where is the rest of his team? He can’t remember anymore. He feels as though they’re old friends he’d long forgotten to keep in contact with. They could be anywhere. Raising a family or starting a business… God, he needs to find them and get in touch. Unless they’ve heard about what happened to Taako… they might not want to see him after that.

So he’s alone. He misses his friends. His family. He misses Taako.

 

…He’d fallen asleep again. Magnus wakes up when the light from the two suns pours in from the window. He pulls back the curtains. They’re facing the west so the suns are already setting. Magnus rubs the stiffness out of his neck and rolls his shoulders as he makes his way downstairs.

Penina is already there, nibbling on a piece of bread. She stares at him expectantly. “Sorry it’s so late,” he laughs, “But uh… it’s never too late for breakfast!”

She smiles, leaving the stale bread at the table. Together, they make breakfast from what is left. Magnus sees that she’s dressed herself in clothes found in Taako’s room. They look like they’ve never been worn. Magnus recalls that Taako and Lup had sewn clothes to bring to the villages but he hadn’t thought about children’s clothes. Goes to show his foresight. Or lack thereof.

They eat their breakfast and stock up on food. Magnus retrieves his gear and then sits with Penina on the bed.

“So, remember, don’t fight with them. I don’t want you getting hurt. But if you think the plan is going south and you need my help, just shout the secret word and I’ll be there.”

Penina nods in affirmation.

Magnus smiles. “And what’s the secret word?”

She makes a face and recites, “…J-Jimmy Buffett?”

“You got it,” says Magnus. And together they leave the tavern behind. Magnus helps Penina over the rubble that was once the wall and then falls behind. She does as Magnus taught her, holding a stick in front of her to make sure she isn’t about to step into a hidden trap. It serves her well. The stick splits as a trap snaps around it and she yelps. Magnus is about to rush in but she collects herself, pushing the trap out of the way and continuing forward.

Magnus remains hidden. He watches her with mounting concern. What if they don’t trust her? What if they know it’s a trap? What if they decide they don’t need her and they…?

This is their best shot. Magnus grips tight to his axe and carefully makes his way from one tree to another.

They walk for hours. Penina looks over her shoulder constantly. Magnus wishes he could let her know that he’s still watching her but he can’t break cover. The loneliness is getting to her as well as the anticipation of being found.

Eventually, she finds a clearing a takes a seat, shrugging her small bag from her shoulders. Stale bread, again. Better than nothing. She nibbles on her food until a branch snaps nearby. The bread drops to the forest floor and she’s on her feet in a second.

“H… hello?”

Silence. Magnus’ eyes dart around the clearing but it’s dark. Almost too dark to see Penina backing up against a tree. She asks again, “Hello? Is anyone there?”

The bushes rustle and then two men step into the clearing. They search the area as she curls up tight. “Are you alone?” one asks.

She nods, hiding her face in her knees.

“Where is your family?”

“Dead.”

The men glance at one another. One of them sheaths his shortsword and bends down to offer her a hand. She shrinks away from it.

“You’re one of them… The Emrie,” she whispers.

“We aren’t bad,” says the man still standing.

“We’re going to take you somewhere safe where you can grow up with other kids your age,” says the one still crouching. She lifts her face to try and study them in the dark. Cautionsly, she takes the offered hand.

“Can you walk?”

She chews on her lip. Her growling stomach gives them all the answer they need. “We aren’t going far. Hold onto me and we’ll get you something to eat soon. Better than stale bread.”

Penina clings to the man’s neck, looking over his shoulder and into the darkness. Magnus follows from a safe distance, heart thrumming in his ears. They move quickly and it would be easy to lose them in the dark from this far away. But he has people depending on him. So he makes it work.

Magnus follows them until a warm glow can be seen in the trees. He slows his pursuit once he’s positive that they’re heading for that light. The woods are thick enough that some trees have begun to fuse with others. Tree trunks are nearly as wide as small houses and vines hang down like curtains. It’s difficult to maneuver without making much sound but Magnus follows the light faithfully.

He climbs a root that’s nearly twice his size and finds that he’s stumbled upon the village he’d been searching for.

Below him, nestled in the darkest part of the woods, is Emerdai. The dirt streets are well lit with torches and each building has a candle light on. He sees the two Emrie men carry Penina into one of the smaller buildings.

Alright, Magnus. As tempted as you are to run down there, you _have_ to think this one through. The streets are lit up so they’ll be impossible to navigate without being spotted. So far, there’s not telling who is in charge or where they’re keeping all of the kids.

Magnus chews on a bark of jerky as he contemplates his options. Best thing to do would be to scout the perimeter. It would be easier with a spell but he’s got to work with what he has.

He decides to wait until the candles start to blow out before scouting. He’ll drop his pack and move unhindered along the outside of the village. Once he’s gleaned some information, he can begin his next plan of attack. Yeah. _Yeah_. That’ll work.

Suddenly, Magnus hears a high-pitched scream from below. He shoves the rest of the jerky into his mouth and listens closely.

It’s Penina. He can hear her shouting, “ _ **JIMMY BUFFETT!**_ ” from inside the building she’d been taken into.

Magnus grabs his axe and rushes in.


	14. Rushing In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus rushes in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Please read:** Your support has been MASSIVELY appreciated! And as always, let me know what you think!

Magnus rams the door to the hut Penina had been taken into. It doesn’t budge; likely secured from the other side. He doesn’t hesitate to swing his axe at the window, shattering the shudders and leaping inside.

The room is small and barren save for a few poorly crafted pieces of furniture and a rug. Clearly a front. The rug is pulled back to reveal a trap door, which one of the men is attempting to drag Penina into. He pauses upon Magnus’ grand entrance.

Magnus doesn’t think. He brings the axe down on the man’s arms, cutting nearly three quarters of the way through the meat of him. Penina drops hard on her knees and scrambles to hide under a shoddy side table. As the man screams, the second one lunges at Magnus with his shortsword.

The fighter easily deflects the attack with his axe and uses the momentum of his movement to swing around, landing the blade in the man’s side. He crumples to the floor and before he can call for help, Magnus brings the axe down again to cut his head from his shoulders.

The trap door in the middle of the room closes suddenly, catching Magnus’ attention. He opens it easily and he can see the still surviving man fleeing down a long set of dark, narrow stairs. He jumps, landing directly on his back. Magnus is almost positive the man’s neck breaks upon hitting the edge of a step but he takes the axe to his head all the same.

Breathing heavily in the dark, sitting on a corpse, Magnus wipes his brow. He looks up to see Penina peaking over the edge of the trap door. He waves at her, giving her an uneasy smile.

“Are you okay?” she asks.

“Yeah… Yeah, I’m fine. Sorry you had to see that… Uh… are… Are _you_ okay?”

She nods and then carefully makes her way down the stairs to join him. Her nose wrinkles at the bloody sight of Magnus’ axe. “Did they hurt you?” Magnus says.

Penina replies, “They said they were going to if I didn’t go in the hole.”

“Then they got what was coming to them,” he says, lifting her up so she doesn’t have to step on the body on her way down. He carries her, following the stairs as they wind down. They lead to a massive underground room, lit by torches.

It seems to be a training ground of some kind. The ceiling is low but the room itself is filled with training equipment, wooden weapons, and bunches of straw. He crosses the room to find a long hall, doors lining either side. Glancing into the rooms, Magnus can make out beds in dark rooms. In each bed, a sleeping child. Magnus sets Penina down.

“This is where they took all of them…” he murmurs.

“We can let them all go, then,” says Penina.

Magnus shakes his head. “It’s… It’s not that easy, Penina. If we freed all these kids right now… where would they go? What would they _eat_? I don’t even know if any of their families are still…”

He chews his lip. The only other place he can think of is Lolikai, almost a week’s walk away and not exactly _friendly_. But what other choice do they have…?

Magnus crouches down. “Penina… listen. I’m going to get everyone out of here. But first… I have to hide what happened upstairs and I have to make sure no one is going to follow us or harm you guys ever again. Alright? Do you trust me?”

Penina glances at her feet and shuffles, plucking at her skirt. “…Do I have to stay here?” she asks quietly. 

Magnus pulls her close and she returns the embrace. He can feel the slight tremble in her shoulders. “I’ll come back for you. Right now, this is the safest place you can be.”

She takes a deep breath and they part. Penina nods and Magnus says, “Awesome. Stay strong and wait for me. Don’t tell anyone what’s happening. Got it?”

“Got it.”

They find her a room. The children are either deep in sleep or too afraid to open their eyes. It’s easy to find a bed for Penina to crawl into. She watches Magnus as he leaves, closing the door behind him.

Once Magnus realizes the extent of the damage, he understands that he’ll have to work quickly. There’s no way for him to fix the broken window and hide these bodies in a timely manner without being spotted. Still, he does his best to make things less obvious. Hide the corpses in the hay. Clean the splintered wood and remove the broken blinds completely. It’ll have to do.

Magnus lifts the wooden barricade from the door and pokes his head out. The streets are empty, although still well-lit. The buildings, however, are mostly dark. The candles have been blown out and the village is almost disturbingly quiet.

It’s nothing short of a miracle how smoothly things have gone for Magnus up until this point but he’s not going to start counting his blessings quite yet. The fighter secures his axe and moves to the outer perimeter of the village. He begins scouting, stealthily looking into windows and taking detailed mental notes. 

Most buildings are full of people. There aren’t many structures but each one houses either extremely large families or multiple groups. No one seems to be particularly note-worthy.

Not until Magnus spots a window that’s placed fairly high and barred. He shrugs off his equipment and jumps, pulling himself up to look down.

Magnus’ heart skips a beat and he nearly falls straight back to the ground. He holds the bars to keep his grip and whispers harshly, “Taako! _Taako!_ ”

The elf’s ears react to the sound before the rest of him does. Drearily, he sits up and stretches. Magnus whispers again, “Taako! Up here!”

Again, his ears twitch. And slowly, Taako turns.

His eyes go wide and Magnus’ heart takes off. The smile that immediately appears on Taako’s face gives him every reason for everything he’s ever done. Every decision he’s ever made has lead to **this point** where Taako’s smile lit up the fucking universe.

He scrambles to his feet, leaping onto his bed to try and be closer to Magnus. Their fingers brush and Taako exclaims in a loud whisper, “Magnus! How the hell did you find us!?”

“Us?” asks Magnus. His voice is almost a laugh with how giddy he feels.

“Lup is here, too,” says Taako, “…I think.”

“I haven’t seen her yet,” replies Magnus.

“I can’t believe you’re here!” Taako says.

Magnus tests the strength of the bars. They’re stuck good. He grumbles. “Any guards?” he asks.

“Mm. At night, I think they just stand out front.”

“Can you cast any spells?”

“They have my wand.”

Magnus hops down and digs through his bag. When he jumps back up, he hands Taako the spare wand he found in Barry’s room. “Is that good enough?”

“It’s perfect,” says Taako. He quickly stashes the wand in his clothes. “Gotta say, my man, I’m pretty impressed. You got the rest of the team here with you?”

Magnus beams. “Just me,” he replies.

“Alright, well… They’re moving me tomorrow. Said they were going to put me somewhere ‘more comfortable.’ Maybe you can get the jump on them once we’re—“

“Not enough time,” Magnus interrupts, “I found where they were hiding the kids and I killed two guys so like…?”

Taako stifles a laugh. “Of fucking course you did. Alright. So? What are you thinking?”

“How many guards?”

“Two.”

“I can get the jump on them and take them out before anyone notices.”

After a moment of deliberation, Taako agrees. “Alright,” he says, “Break me outta here and we’ll get Lup and then… I mean, I guess we take the kids and head for home, right?”

Magnus worries at his lip. “Well…” he starts and then Taako stops him.

“You know what? We’ll workshop it. Just get me the hell out of here.”

Magnus smiles. “You got it.”

“Wait—“ says Taako before Magnus can hop back down, “Come close.”

Magnus leans as close to the bars as he can. Taako jumps to clasp his hands around Magnus’ and press a swift kiss to his lips. He doesn’t possess the upper body strength to hold on for too long but it’s long enough that they share a smile and another quick kiss before he lands on his uncomfortable mattress.

“You got this, big guy.”

Taako watches the window as Magnus disappears. He listens to the quiet shuffle of him taking only what he needs for a quick fight and then… Silence. Taako wraps his arms around himself and waits, anxious knots tying themselves in his stomach. Seeing Magnus all of the sudden… Who’s to say it wasn’t just a dream or a hallucination? He purses his lips and he can still feel the tingling sensation of Magnus’ kiss. It must have been weeks since the man has had the time to shave.

There’s a noise out front. A dull thud. And then the tell-tale sounds of a struggle. Taako grips tight to the wand Magnus gave him, staring wide-eyed at the door. It goes quiet again. He waits.

The door opens and Magnus steps through, dragging two bodies along. Taako flies to the bars, bouncing on the balls of his feet as Magnus swiftly tries a ring of keys on the lock. They laugh when every key except the very last one works and when the cell door swings open, Taako launches himself at Magnus.

They can’t keep their hands off of one another. Magnus squeezes Taako tight enough to snap him in half whilst the elf tangles his fingers in Magnus’ hair. They kiss at each others’ faces and neck and hands and whatever their lips can reach. Taako buries his face into Magnus’ neck as they begin to settle.

With a sigh, he peels himself out of Magnus’ hold and says, “We have to find Lup. And we gotta get those kids out of here.”

Magnus explains the situation. He tells Taako as briefly as he can manage how there are almost no villages left standing within miles in any direction. He recounts the IPRE’s encounter with the chief of Lolikai and their narrow escape. “Honestly, there’s no telling for sure if they got out,” says Magnus, “The ship took some damage but it was hard to tell if it was bad enough to keep them grounded.”

Taako hums thoughtfully, a tired look in his face. He sighs again, crossing his arms. “Damn… Can’t be too careful…”

Then he looks to Magnus sternly, his eyes mirroring the glint of the moon just outside the cell window. He says, “We have to make sure _someone_ gets out of here alive, Magnus. _Someone_ has to find the ship and make sure that we’re going to… That we’re going to be okay.”

Magnus takes Taako’s hand, looping their little fingers. He smiles softly and then rests his forehead on Taako’s. “I made you a promise, didn’t I? I trust you, Taako. And I swear to you, we’re going to get out of this.”

Despite himself, Taako is grinning from ear to ear. He nuzzles Magnus and places his free hand on the fighter’s neck. After a chaste kiss, he murmurs, “We’re going to be okay.”

And then they stuff the bodies in the cell, pushing them together on the bed and throwing a cover over them. Not the perfect disguise… And the blood dripping off the side doesn’t help… It’s terrible. They glance at one another and shrug, pocketing the keys and locking the door behind them.

Magnus finds his pack and shoulders it once again. He tells Taako what he found when scouting, where the children are, and how he arrived. Taako smiles when he hears about Penina, telling no one in particular, “I knew she was a tough cookie.”

With the spell Pass without Trace active, they move much more freely along the outskirts of the village. Taako spots the witch’s hut and bristles. 

He points it out and says, “You remember that wack-as-all-hell lady from Solcikai? Her name is Kahekili and I’m pretty sure she’s got Lup in there. Probably a magic dampening field, too.”

Magnus says, “Hmm,” and turns to look at the village. They need to do this _right_. “Okay. Look,” he says, “I think what we should do… is kill _everyone_ here. Cause otherwise, they’re just going to keep coming back. And like… I’m sorry but after what they’ve done, they fuckin’ deserve it.”

Taako agrees. “They’re never going to stop,” he mutters.

“Right. So, to make sure none of them follow us or do this ever again, we level this place. Take the kids to Lolikai—“

“Don’t they hate us or something?” asks Taako.

“Well, yeah, probably, but not the _kids_. If we can tell them that we got rid of the threat, maybe they’ll let us go. In any case, I don’t see why they’d turn away a bunch of kids who need their help. They’re the only place left.”

With more hesitation, Taako agrees to this as well. “What fuckin’ choice do we have,” he grumbles. “So. Game plan. I’m going to wait out here and be your back up since my magic is going to be useless inside. You’ll need to be _careful_ cause I don’t fuckin’ know _what_ that witch is capable of. Lup will probably wreck some shit with you so it’ll be really great and then we’ll get the kids, blow this popsicle stand, and you can carry me back to the beach in your big, strong—“

“Taako.”

The elf rolls his eyes. “It was worth a shot.”

Magnus equips himself with his shield and his axe. Taako grabs him by the beard and pulls him in for a kiss. They get lost in it for only a moment. Taako’s hands smooth over the sore, burning muscles of Magnus’ chest and arms, giving him a renewed energy. The adrenaline is running thick in their veins now. Magnus is glowing by the time they part.

“…I love you, Taako.”

Taako smirks. “You’ll get yours when you get back.”

With an affirming nod and a confident smile, Magnus rushes in.

The spell affecting his steps fizzles out the closer he gets so he moves quickly but as carefully as possible, circling the hut to try and peer into any windows. There are only two, both covered by thick blankets. He moves around back, treading lightly through the witch’s garden. He approaches the back door and begins reaching for the handle when a voice startles him from behind.

“Have you come here to kill me, child?”

Magnus spins around just in time to deflect a fireball with his shield. The force of it knocks him back against the hut but he holds his ground. The witch smiles in appreciation.

“Some competence! How refreshing. You must be Magnus,” she says coolly, resting an elbow in her hand as a finger twirls strands of her long, dark hair into curls. “Ms Lup told me all about you.”

Magnus brings his axe forward and she takes a second to acknowledge the blood on the blade. Still fresh. She makes a distasteful expression but her posture remains relaxed.

“She told me you’re rather soft at heart. So perhaps you wouldn’t mind listening to reason…?”

“You locked up my friends, kidnapped children, and slaughtered their families. I don’t reason with people like _you_.”

Kahekili considers taking a step closer but thinks better on it. She sneers, inching away from the threatening axe still pointed at her. “We were only protecting ourselves. Your friends are unharmed, the children are being taken care of, and we only did to their families what they did to ours.”

“They did what they had to because you were pillaging and burning their villages down,” says Magnus, taking a step forward.

“Only because they pushed us to the brink of the forests without any resources… Afraid of our power when we did nothing wrong…!” Kahekili says. The fake pity in her voice makes Magnus want to choke. “A cornered animal will always bite, even if it means certain doom.”

Having heard more than enough, Magnus begins to close in on her. She sighs, rolling her eyes and drawing her wand. Before she can fire off a spell, Magnus charges her, shield first. She barely skirts out of the way but opens herself to the swing of his axe. She takes a slice across the arm with a vicious hiss.

Kahekili thrusts her hand forward and colorful lights burst forth. Magnus stumbles backwards, blinking rapidly. The light fills his vision, making it impossible to see. Groaning, he rubs at his eyes with one hand, blindly shielding himself with the other. A dagger pierces into his shoulder from behind and he reacts by swinging. His shield hits Kahekili, sending her reeling and landing in the dirt. But she laughs, easily picking herself up onto her feet.

The lights begin to dim. Magnus squints through the flashing colors to see a shadow disappear into the garden. “Shit…” he mutters. His shoulder burns almost bad enough that he drops his shield so he removes the offending dagger. Like ripping off a bandaid, he tugs the blade from his arm and lets it drop to the ground.

On his guard, Magnus steps deeper into the garden. Laughter echoes across the enclosed field—fake sounds likely meant to throw him off. Instead, Magnus listens for footsteps or the rustle of grass.

From seemingly nowhere, she appears. Blinking into existence right before his eyes, Kahekili reveals herself. The bloodlust in her smile evaporates any shred of sympathy Magnus might have held for her. Without a doubt, the Emrie are evil. He can see it in her eyes just before she sinks another dagger in his stomach.

But she’s close enough now that he can easily sweep her off her feet. With a snarl, Magnus rips the dagger from his stomach and pins her beneath him. She cackles, blinking away when he brings the dagger down. It lands in the dirt and he scrambles to his feet in time to block another fireball from hitting him in the back. The deflected flame catches on a stalk of corn.

Soon, the entire garden is burning. It spreads alarmingly fast, from the corn to the grapevines to the hut. Magnus remembers Lup and he curses under his breath, bolting for the door. 

Kahekili appears once more, blocking his entrance.

“You will not stop our revenge, sweet boy,” she coos, fingers brushing along his jaw. He attempts to swing at her but his arms are… Heavy. And his vision is swimming. His axe falls to the dirt. She says, “It is written in the stars.”

Magnus squints, trying to center his vision as it begins to blur.

Suddenly, she collapses forward, hanging off of Magnus and shaking violently. He tries to push her away but instead, sinks to his knees. Kahekili attempts to lift herself to no avail. The witch slumps to the side, screaming.

Taako steps through the back door, wand drawn. “How’s that magic missile taste, bitch?” he exclaims. Magnus can see some sort of artifact in his hands, sparking and busted. The magic dampening device. He smiles.

“Taako…” he breathes.

And then promptly blacks out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has fanart! [Check it out!](http://glu10morgen.tumblr.com/post/164539230750/despite-himself-taako-is-grinning-from-ear-to)
> 
> Hey guys! Thanks again for reading. We're getting close to the end now! As a side note, we are having to move again at the end of this month and it's looking pretty tight so please consider checking me out on Tumblr @themonsterghost for more information. Thank you!


	15. Swift Vengeance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Revenge is a dish best served hot as hell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Please read:** Hey guys! We are having to move at the end of this month and it's looking pretty tight so please consider checking me out on Tumblr @themonsterghost for more information on how you can help support me and my writing. Thank you!

Taako’s hair shines, even in the dark. The moon catches on each strand, shimmering through the haze. Magnus blinks.

Lips move but no words come out. There’s only a dull, distant ringing sound. Taako is speaking quickly and his eyes are wide, brimming with tears. Magnus wants to wipe them away but…

Heavy. Everything is so heavy. His limbs won’t move and he can’t feel his fingertips. Can’t curl his toes. He isn’t even sure if his body is remembering to breathe. Images fade in and out but it’s always Taako, hovering over him and speaking soundlessly.

The burning sensation in Magnus’ shoulder and stomach is inconceivably painful. He groans and twists, feeling Taako’s knees under him. As the pain in his stomach increases, his groaning turns into a full-blown shout. But Taako’s voice pierces through the ringing and he can feel a warm hand on his cheek.

“I know,” says Taako, “I know it hurts, you big baby, but I need you to bear with me. Magnus? Magnus, look at me.”

He looks at him. A smile appears on Taako’s worried expression. “Hang in there, Magnus. Can you hear me? Talk to me, let me know you’re here.”

Magnus tries but his lips quiver and he fumbles with his words. His tongue feels thick and dry in his mouth. And he starts to realize that there’s a fire still burning behind them, the black smoke billowing high into the air. The villagers are bound to see it. He tries to sit up and then pain shoots through him like a thousand tiny daggers in his veins. 

With a pained cry, Magnus falls back into Taako’s lap. The elf pets his jaw with one hand, whispering soothing, sweet nothings.

Pressing his tongue to his teeth, Magnus stares hard at Taako and asks, “L… Lup…?”

Taako’s smile begins to soften, comforted by Magnus’ hold on consciousness. He says, “She’s okay.”

Magnus sighs in relief. He turns his head inward, pressing his face into Taako’s stomach. The elf uses the position to his advantage, rubbing crushed herbs into the wound on Magnus’ shoulder. He hisses and groans as the pain boils back up.

“Stop your whining,” says Taako in a surprisingly gentle tone of voice, “You got hit twice with deathblade poison. Nearly bled to death…”

That would explain the heavy numbness Magnus is feeling across his body. And the chill, as well. Magnus begins to realize how incredible _cold_ he is. Taako seems to notice since he curls tight around the fighter resting on his lap.

“Where’s… Witch…?” murmurs Magnus.

“Dead.”

Magnus smiles. “Good…” He winces. A wave of dizziness washes over him and he closes his eyes. The world is spinning and he feels powerless to stop it. He feels sick.

Taako breaks the quiet by lifting Magnus’ head and patting his cheek. “Hey. Magnus. I know you’re tired… But we can’t stay here.”

The thought of having to stand up seems like a monumental task, impossible to undertake. He knows he needs to get up. He can hear voices in the distance, noticing the fire and waking up the rest of the village in a panic. Taako says, gently but urgently, “Magnus. We need to go.”

Taako slips out from under Magnus and offers the fighter a hand. He’s almost too weak to take it. Similarly, Taako is almost too weak to lift him. Somehow they manage. Magnus rises to his feet and sways unsteadily. He watches as Taako bends down to lift his sister, unconscious, onto his back with a great deal of effort.

“Come on. Can you walk?”

Magnus tries to move. His legs feel as fragile as a thin sheet of ice. They’re too numb to hold him up so his thighs shake and then his knees buckle and he collapses. Taako stands in front of him.

“Just a little bit, Magnus. Just into the woods right there, okay?” Taako urges, struggling to hold Lup with one arm while offering Magnus the other.

“Sorry, Taako. I’m… trying,” Magnus grunts, getting back onto his feet. The Emrie are close now. He can hear them calling for Kahekili out front as flames consume her hut. He focuses on the tree line and wills himself to move forward. Taako walks beside him, keeping an eye on their backs.

“Almost there,” says Taako. Magnus is dragging his feet and by the time they reach the forest, he’s fit to fall again. Taako moves ahead, gently setting Lup down in the brush before returning to help Magnus. He props both of them up against a tree that’s twice as thick enough to hide them.

Taako lifts Magnus’ face, swallowing thickly upon seeing the pale state of his skin. “I told you to be careful,” Taako murmurs, checking the state of his wounds. Magnus cracks a smile. 

“She snuck up on me,” he says.

“Just because you’re a _tank_ doesn’t mean you’re indestructible,” replies Taako. Magnus rests his head against the trunk of the tree. Taako holds Magnus’ jaw and continues, “You keep taking these hits because you think you’ll be fine but… You _need_ to be _careful_ , Magnus, I don’t…”

He sighs, ears drooping. Magnus reaches up and places his hand over one of Taako’s. Quietly, he says, “…Tell me what you need to say… So you don’t have any regrets.”

Taako laughs. He considers it, watching as the Emrie try to put out the fire on the other side of the garden. Magnus squeezes his hand, redirecting his attention.

Taako says, “Magnus… you showed me how to _give a shit_ about other people. The day you stayed behind to try and save a bunch of baby bears on a planet we didn’t know for certain we’d escape from… That taught me something. And it took a long time to know that you’re not just some senseless fighting machine.”

“That I’m not stupid?” grins Magnus.

Taako pauses to chuckle, petting Magnus’ face as he carefully considers his words. “I wouldn’t go _that_ far,” he teases, “But you’re _brave_ , Magnus. Maybe you can get a little careless but… You never _care less_. Me…? With every new cycle, I just care less and less about everyone we meet. The only ones who matter are you guys because you’re the only ones that aren’t…”

He hasn’t quite figured out what all these temporary people are. They’re here one second, gone the next. Like ghosts. Like dust in the wind.

Dust…

“We’ve been through so much shit. If I didn’t have Lup… if I didn’t have you… without our family, I’m just as much of ‘nothing’ as everyone else we meet.”

Magnus squeezes Taako’s hand again, shaking his head. “Don’t say that, Taako. No matter what, you’re… God, Taako, you’re indescribable. I’ll never abandon you.”

A soft smile leads to an even softer kiss on Magnus’ forehead. “I know you won’t.”

“I’ll be more careful next time,” Magnus says. Taako kisses his head again. Then his nose and his cheeks.

Lup stirs from next to Magnus. Taako turns to her, shuffling by her side. “Lup…?”

Her eyes crack open and she rubs the sleep out of them, shaking her head. “You two… Are really fucking cheesy.” She turns her head away for a moment to blow dust from her nostrils. When she turns back around, Lup says, “And tell Barry he owes me ten dollars.”

Taako laughs, throwing his arms around her. She pats his back and looks Magnus over. “You don’t look so good,” she says.

“We gotta stop meeting like this,” replies Magnus.

She peeks around the corner of the tree, raising her brows at the sight of the fire that has begun to die down, if only slightly. “What happened?” she asks.

Taako pulls her back into cover as he begins to explain. Magnus closes his eyes in the meantime. Just for a short rest.

It takes a few minutes to catch her up on the situation. He fills her in on the location of the children, of Magnus’ solo rescue mission, and the start of the fire. Taako says, “I magic missiled her ass _so_ good. Went down and tried to give me some loaded BS about the ‘tragedy of her people’ but another magic missile shut her up. Then I saw Magnus, here…”

Taako turns to see Magnus’ eyes are closed. He reaches over to shake him awake but Lup stops him.

“Let him rest. Then what happened?”

“Well,” says Taako, obeying Lup’s suggestion but keeping his gaze glued on Magnus, “She got him with some deathblade poison. He was bleeding out faster than he should have been. I ran inside to get you, grabbed a few magic herbs, and ran out of the hut. I tried to apply it as quickly as possible but he…”

Lup touches Magnus’ forehead. Cold. Clammy. She notes the heaviness of his breaths. She says, “And he doesn’t know where Merle is? Anyone?”

Taako shakes his head. Shouting can be heard from the village. Lup says, “We have to get the kids out of here before they move them again. Taako… We can’t wait around. We have to put a stop to this.”

Taako looks to his sister. Her expression is so… enraged. Serious. Even in the face of danger and absolute destruction, she tends to keep a sense of chaotic joy. But not here. Not after what she’s seen. Not while it’s unclear if their family is out there with the Starblaster in working condition. 

Taako’s gaze drifts back to Magnus and Lup says, “He would just get hurt.”

He’s already had to leave Magnus behind once. When they were in Solcikai, an explosion hit and rocked the entire town. Taako didn’t even think twice before running down the stairs and out the front door. He’d so easily gotten swept up in the sudden fight again the hoard of Emrie that he didn’t have time to go back for Magnus… And yet, here Magnus is. Having gone through the woods alone just to find him. Taako shakes his head.

“We can’t just leave him here.”

“We’ll come back for him once the Emrie are taken care of,” says Lup. She stands, helping Taako onto his feet. It takes him a moment to peel his gaze off of Magnus’ sleeping face. Lup holds his jaw and they lock eyes. “Head in the game. You good?”

Her smile returns. It’s full of fire and passion and confidence. And fortunately, it’s contagious. Taako smiles, too. 

“I’m good,” says Taako. They nod and then they’re gone. Leaving Magnus to rest as they charge into a panicked village, wands drawn.

Almost everyone is gathered in front of Kahekili’s hut. When the fighting starts, they’re caught completely off guard. It’s like shooting fish in a barrel. Lup and Taako split off and go separate ways around the fire so that they’re closing in on the Emrie from the left and right. The biggest fall first. Taako focuses on the ones trying to peel off and make a break for the village. Lup dives into the thick of them.

As a duo, they work excellently. The perfect pair, armed and dangerous and hellishly angry. Some Emrie go so far as to save them the trouble, killing themselves once they realize the prophecies have failed them.

It’s a massacre that leaves Lup shaking and charging into the village to kick down every last door. She’s still looking for faces. She remembers each and every son of a bitch who got away from her after the attack on the children in the wagon. They owe those children their _lives_ and Lup _aims to collect._

Once she’s started to trim the weeds, so to speak, Taako goes to look for the remaining kids. He finds the building with the broken window, as Magnus described it, and lets himself in.

Immediately, it’s clear that Magnus was here. “Mmhmm,” Taako nods to himself, kicking aside the carpet hiding the door to the basement. There’s blood on the stairs that he nearly slips on. Prestidigitation takes care of it.

He finds the training grounds. The cells. He opens all of the doors and beckons the children to, “Rise and shine! You’re all hopping aboard the one-way Taako express and we’re rolling the fuck outta here in five so get your shit together and let’s _go_ kiddos!”

Penina is the first to rush out, which gives the other children enough courage to follow. She clings to Taako’s leg and he pats her head with fondness. He says, “Good to see you, too, Panera Bread.”

The ground above them shakes and the kids huddle together, shrinking behind Taako. “Don’t worry,” he says, “That’s probably just my sister cleaning up the Emrie so they never pull this shit again. Now, here’s the rules: No asking me where we’re going, when we’re getting there, or who’s waiting for you. All I can tell you is that we’re getting out of here, you don’t have to sleep in a dungeon anymore, and everything is going to be _fine._ ”

The children look nervously amongst themselves. Taako places his arms akimbo and taps his foot impatiently. “Do I need to repeat it or are we… good?”

The questions start pouring in. Taako takes a step back, overwhelmed by the pressing need of knowing where to go, what’s happening, where’s my parents, what happened to my village, is this a trick, how do we get out of here--

“That’s enough of that!” says Taako and he casts Silence over the lot of them. Their lips stop moving and handful clap a palm over their mouths in surprise. “So… one more time… No asking where we’re going… when we’re getting there… or who is or is not waiting for you when we get there. We are getting _out of here_ and everything is going to be _fine._ ”

Penina tugs at Taako’s wrist and he waves a hand over her to release the Silence spell.

“And we don’t have to sleep in a dungeon,” she says.

“Right,” says Taako, pointing to her, “Someone’s been listening. Gold star for you. Okay. I need you guys in a single-file line and keep up. I’m not doing a head count until we’re out of here so let’s get a move on.”

He guides them up the spiral stairs and counts them as they exit the basement, filling up the small upstairs room. Through the broken window, they can see smoke in the streets. The nerves start to show in their faces.

There are twenty-three kids. Somehow, Taako was expecting more. He loathes to think that there might have been more at an earlier time… 

Focus. Twenty-three kids. He can do this. He can figure this one out. Worse-case scenario, he has to conjure their meals. Taako will just take a few extra rests for that. Maybe Magnus could carry him…

“Shit! Magnus!” Taako gasps. Time slips away when you’re leveling an entire village for their crimes against humanity and against your only family. How long have they been away? Magnus could be awake by now…

Taako peers out the door. The village is empty, save for the fires. He calls for Lup. When there’s no response, he looks between the kids and the trees in the distance, unsure of what to do.

Then, like a phoenix taking flight, Lup bursts forth from a second-story window, an explosion of fire licking the back of her neck in her wake. She lands on the shorter building across the street, on Taako’s side, and then leaps off, again. With a flawless roll, she pops back onto her feet and punches a triumphant fist in the air.

“ _ **FUCK**_ I love revenge!” she shouts to the sky, “It feels so **gods damned _good_** to be **_free!_** ”

Taako clears his throat loudly and she spins around on her heel, beaming at him. She sees the concern in his face and runs to his side.

Her smile grows wider when she sees the children. “You found them!” she exclaims.

“Yeah, can you—“

She shoves Taako aside, pushing him towards the trees. “Go get ‘im,” she says, taking his place as the kid-shepherd without another word. He can hear her giving them a rousing speech but he’s busy running as fast as his legs will carry him to the woods.

The hut is completely destroyed. The garden, too. Thankfully, the fires stopped there. Taako suspects an enchantment keeping any fires started in the village from catching on the surrounding trees.

He enters the woods and sees Magnus right where they left him, recovering from his wounds. His skin is still cool to the touch and his limbs move as lifelessly as a doll’s. The elf worries his lip as he checks Magnus over. Alive but certainly in no condition to travel. His heart beat is fast and weak, like the wing beats of a hummingbird. All symptoms of blood loss. A spell would be great. A transfusion, a close second. Taako doesn’t have the necessary spells or medical know-how to cover either of these bases.

All he knows is that the magic herbs next to the deathblade poison on Kahlekili’s table seemed like an antidote. Fortunately, his instincts were correct. But they couldn’t reverse what had already been done. Taako is aware that there’s still a real chance that Magnus could fall victim to hypovolemic shock.

“Magnus?” he coos, gently patting his cheek.

It takes a minute or two but Magnus wakes up. He opens his eyes and smiles lazily, tiredly, painfully… He grimaces and his fingers twitch. “Hurts,” he groans.

“I know,” says Taako.

Magnus closes his eyes again. Taako shakes his shoulder.

“We took care of everything,” Taako tells him, snapping his fingers in front of Magnus’ face to keep his attention, “Lup’s with the kids and Panini Press is still with us. Looking fabulous in that little outfit I made, mind you.”

Magnus is smiling again. His fingers are moving now, curling in and out as Magnus fights to get the blood going and the feeling to return. Taako rubs his arms, at a loss for what else to do.

He keeps checking the village to make sure nothing has changed. From the distance, Taako can make out Lup’s red jacket, herding the children together. He looks back to Magnus, eyeing the concentrated movements of his muscles.

“You should have seen her, Magnus. Lup is… _unstoppable_. I mean, I was pretty great, too, not gonna lie. I’ve been saving up those spells for weeks, homie. Leveled this place in like ten minutes. But listen, I’d way rather tell you this story when we’re safe and sound on the Starblaster so I need you to ‘wiggle your big toe,’ or whatever, and get up. We gotta get the fuck out of here.”

Magnus chuckles and sits up slowly. Taako is racking his brain for any sort of spell that would help him. A large, cool hand rests on his shoulder and he realizes Magnus is watching him, squinting through the dark.

“You’re gonna have to leave me here,” he says.

Taako rolls his eyes dramatically. “Look, I’m done with the whole ‘sacrificing self’ thing, alright? For the _both_ of us. So help me, I will _levitate_ your ass out of here.”

They’re smiling. And then Taako is peppering Magnus’ forehead with kisses, holding tight to his hands to try and warm them up. His ears respond to the sound of footfalls coming closer. A peak around the tree and he spots Lup trotting towards them with the kids in tow. She has Magnus’ bag on her shoulder.

“Found this while we went scavenging. I think we’re all set,” Lup says. She nods to Magnus. “How’s he doing?”

“I’m just gonna levitate him around until we find a decent place to bed down. This guy needs water and sleep like no one’s business,” replies Taako. Magnus is too tired to respond. He simply allows himself to be levitated and subsequently guided through the trees like a helium balloon.

He somehow manages to snooze during their walk, despite the chatter from the children and Lup making loud jokes to her brother. Not to mention there are no pillows floating in the air alongside him. But blood loss will give a man fatigue enough to sleep hanging upside down with the lights on.

He sleeps, feeling Taako’s fingers laced in his own, squeezing to keep the blood circulating and to feel the pulse in his palm. Magnus can still feel Taako’s warmth when they stop and when Taako gets comfortable under a tree with Magnus in his lap. He feels long fingers comb through his hair and he vaguely remembers a glass of water or two.

What sticks out most in his mind is Taako’s voice in his ear after everyone else has fallen asleep. The trees are thick enough to block out the two suns but there's still a warmth in the air. Quiet wildlife creates the ambient silence. Birds chirping and leaves swaying. The soft breaths of twenty-three sleeping children and the steady heartbeat of a battle-weary elf. Then, Taako's voice, whispering in his ear, "Thank you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! There's still a couple chapters left to come as well as an epilogue that will bring this story around to canon. Who's excited for the TAZ finale? I'M NOT READY...!!!
> 
> I'm happy to hear what you think. Thank you!


	16. Three Shepherds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three shepherds and twenty-three sheep take a walk in the woods.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Please read:** Hey guys! We are having to move at the end of this month and it's looking pretty tight so please consider checking me out on Tumblr @themonsterghost for more information on how you can help support me and my writing. Thank you!

Magnus is floating. From time to time, his eyes flutter open only to shut again. He catches brief glimpses of children playing, of Lup carefully tilting water into his parted lips, of Taako smiling in the suns. He can feel fingers through his hair and arms holding him tight.

When he finally wakes up, Taako is sitting by a fire, silently counting the sleeping heads. Twenty-three. Lup, twenty-four. Himself, twenty-five. And Magnus…

Their eyes meet and Taako quickly approaches, kneeling down and tilting his head. “Hey…” he whispers, “…Magnus? You in there?”

“Yeah,” says Magnus. Taako grins and Magnus can tell he’s trying to act casual but there’s an unmistakable look of relief hiding in his expression. Magnus tries to sit up but he’s too dizzy to manage.

“Sit tight; you haven’t eaten anything substantial in days.”

“Days?” asks Magnus, almost too loudly. Taako brings a finger to his lips.

“Shhh.” The elf begins to fish through Magnus’ backpack and says, “Yeah. _Days_. You’ve been kind of comatose, my dude. In and out. These little shits kept asking if they could ride you through the air like some hot air balloon.”

Magnus chuckles and Taako returns to his side, holding long barks of jerky and a half loaf of stale bread. With a little help, Magnus props himself up on the nearest tree and accepts the modest meal. Taako brushes hair away from his face as he chews.

“How far are we from Lolikai?” Magnus asks.

“Few days. Maybe three or four.”

Magnus continues to eat in relative silence. He finds that he doesn’t have the energy to sustain a conversation. He barely has the energy he needs to chew through the tough meat and hardened bread. Taako sits next to him, watching him fondly and appreciating every breath he takes, every bite he swallows, every moment he blinks. Magnus is alive.

He runs the back of his hand along Magnus’ shoulder and up his neck. He presses at the pulse just beneath his ear to feel the steady beat, stronger than it had been days ago.

“I feel better,” murmurs Magnus, “Thanks for… you know. Doing everything I was supposed to do.”

They each smile at one another and Taako gives him a gentle nudge.

Then he says what everyone’s been thinking. “You haven’t been the same all year, Mags.”

They share the silence after that.

Eventually, Taako becomes uncomfortable with it, nervously braiding a thin strand of his own hair. He says, “Lup told me about your leg. How you go hurt back in Solcikai pretty much _right out the gate_. It’s just… not like you, Magnus.”

Magnus sets down the bread he’s been gnawing on and gently bumps his head against the trunk of the tree.

“…I couldn’t save you last year. I tried to train and keep myself sharp but it’s like… If I can’t save my friends from a pack of wolves, how am I supposed to be able to do anything about the Hunger? What _good_ am I?”

“Oh, Magnus,” Taako sighs. Magnus stiffens in surprise when Taako rests his head on his shoulder. A strangely affectionate gesture coming from Taako. Although, perhaps given their recent confessions, it isn’t so strange after all. He settles in, taking comfort in the weight and warmth pressing against his side.

Taako says, “You need to let it go. This isn’t like you, Magnus. The only one holding you back right now is you.”

“I know,” replies Magnus, quieter than he’d intended.

“You might not have a lot of faith in yourself right now. And that’s fine. But understand this: we need you. Don’t start giving up on us now.”

There’s something hidden in those words. Somehow, Magnus picks up on it. And even more than that, Taako knows that it’s out there. It’s the understanding that Taako is teetering on the verge of giving up, himself. There have been years when he flew through the days breezily. Completely uncaring. Devoid of any passion for anyone or anything other than his team. _His family_.

If they give up… Taako will give up, too. Without their determination, without their _presence_ , he wouldn’t give a shit. And that thought…

That thought scares him.

Taako runs his fingers along Magnus’ sternum in slow, up and down motions. Magnus returns to his difficult-to-eat food. “I’ll make you something better in the morning. Eggs. I just don’t want to wake them right now,” Taako whispers.

“It’s all good,” says Magnus. He wraps an arm around Taako’s waist and hums as the elf curls up against him, slotting perfectly under his arm.

To his surprise, Taako falls asleep. He lapses into meditation almost instantly, breathing slow and even, hand still on Magnus’ chest. He takes his time finishing off what Taako gave him to eat and then pulls him just a little closer.

Magnus has been asleep for days so he can’t bring himself to drift off again. Instead, he assumes the guarding role, despite their worst threat having been eliminated. Can’t be too careful.

Although, he spends much less time watching the perimeter than he does on the rise and fall of Taako’s shoulders with each lulling breath.

 

Morning comes without event. The suns rise and Magnus watches as the light washes over the campsite. Taako is the first to stir, his ears twitching upon hearing the morning chirping of birds. He smiles at Magnus and sits upright, popping his back and neck and fingers.

“Sleep well?” asks Magnus. Taako kisses him softly.

“Mmm. Gotta get some water for the kiddos. Be right back,” he says, slowly getting to his feet and careful to not make any sound as he steps over the sleeping little ones. Two large bowls in hand, he wanders into the trees to fetch water from the nearby river. It must be close; Magnus can hear it if he listens closely. He wonders if it’s the same river he’d seen Taako bathing in all those weeks ago… It must be, given the path they’re on.

A head pops up, catching Magnus’ attention. Penina. She spots Magnus and waves with an ear-to-ear grin. He recalls her blank stare when he saw her in Solcikai and he wonders if a part of her is still upset with the IPRE.

Nonetheless, he smiles back and gives her a wave.

Taako returns minutes later, balancing the bowls of water. He sets them down next to the fire pit and beckons the children to wake up. “Breakfast time! I want everyone up and pitching in. Get those bathroom breaks out of the way and wash up in pairs. Shallow end of the river _only_ ; I won’t have another one of you scratching up your knees like little rough-house Rangi over there. Let’s go, let’s _go_!”

Magnus laughs as he watches Taako expertly command the hoard of children. They rise and stretch and sip water from the bowls and drift in the woods in pairs. Penina is shaking Lup’s shoulder but the elf refuses to rouse. Taako kicks her in the ass and whips her thigh with a wooden spoon until she’s shouting, “Fine! Fuck! I’m up!” and accompanying Penina down to the river.

Taako gets the fire going again. Magnus watches him conjure enough food for twenty-six people and start cooking.

“Anything I can help with?” asks Magnus. Taako scoffs.

“Oh, Mags, how did I know you would ask?”

He cracks eggs into a cast-iron skillet and they sizzle over the crackling fire. The smell makes Magnus’ stomach growl audibly. Taako smirks, quirking an eyebrow at him.

“How about you leave the cooking to me and get yourself washed up. No offense but you look and smell like shit, my man.”

Magnus lifts his arm and takes a whiff, immediately turning his head away in disgust. “Fair,” he says. Taako watches him with a careful eye as he slowly stands up and begins walking towards the river. “Fuck, I’m sore,” he groans.

Taako snorts and pats his ass as he walks by.

By the river, kids are playing and splashing one another. Lup is stripped to her underwear, sitting on a rock in the middle of the river and rinsing her hair under a modest waterfall. She watches the children like an over-protective lifeguard, snapping her fingers at anyone getting too rowdy or swimming too far.

Magnus removes his clothes and considers leaving them at the shore. But a sniff of them tells him they need to be cleaned just as much as he does. He carries them down to the river and wades in until the water is waist-high.

“Why does he get to go so far out?” complains one of the boys.

Lup snaps at him, “He’s a _grown up_ , Rangi. When you’re old enough to know better than to jump on a wet bed of rocks, you can go into the deep end. Until then, you’re going to sit on the sidelines and keep that scrape clean.”

He pouts and Magnus laughs, catching Lup rolling her eyes before winking at him. “Kids,” she says.

“Kids,” says Magnus.

It’s unspoken but they take turns making sure everyone is clean and accounted for. The kids gather up their clothes and begin the short trek up the hill to camp in their pairs. Lup takes that time to press her fingertips against Magnus’ chest as he’s leaving the river. He pauses, feeling a hot blush of shame wash over him as she inspects his wounds.

“Turn around,” she says. He does as he’s told and winces as her fingers ghost across the stab on the back of his shoulder. It’s stitched shut, he can tell. But she gives a thoughtful sigh and says, “We should probably cover that up. And the one on your stomach, too. See me after breakfast, Burnsides.”

Magnus grins and says, “You got it,” taking a step towards camp. Her fingers return to their place on his chest and he stares at her. “…Yeah?”

She smiles and shakes her head, cocking a brow. “You’re not done,” she says.

Magnus is about to argue but she shoves him back into the water. “You better not smell like a fucking sewer when you come back!” she shouts and he can hear her laughing as she races up the hill. He’s laughing, too, even as he sputters water and shakes his hair out of his eyes.

He washes himself and his clothes as best as he can. While he’s at it, he plucks his grandfather’s knife from his pocket and shaves. Tightening up the sideburns, away with most of the beard. It’s gotten unruly and smells like dried blood. Nearly an hour passes before he finally deems himself worthy of returning to camp.

The children have just finished their meals and Taako and Lup are preparing three more. One for each of the adults, it would seem. Lup approaches Magnus first, giving him a sniff and then pinching his jaw, turning his head left to right.

“Nice trim, Maggie,” she says, satisfied with her inspection. Magnus grins and she takes his clothes from under his arm. He expects her to set them next to the campfire; instead, she tosses them into the air and encircles them with a fireball. The children gasp in awe.

The fire is gone almost as quickly as it appeared. Dry clothes fall back into her arms and she smugly hands them back. Magnus blinks in bewilderment. They’re warm, as if fresh from the dryer.

“You’re welcome,” she says, turning on her heel to join her brother next to the fire.

Magnus ducks behind a tree so he can remove his still-damp underwear and change into his dry clothes. When he comes to sit next to his friends, Lup says, “I’m not drying your boxer-briefs.”

“That’s alright,” chuckles Magnus, setting them by the fire. A few kids mutter in playful disgust, to which Magnus replies, “Oh, shut up. This is what camping is _about_.”

“Wet underwear and fresh, smoky breakfast. Throw in some fishing and I’m inclined to agree,” says Taako with an amused grin. He hands Magnus a plate, piled high with eggs and sausage and fruits from the nearby trees. Magnus’ stomach doesn’t have time to finish growling before he’s tucking in.

“So… Magnus,” says Lup, “Taako tells me there’s an issue with the ship and uh… I heard there was some drama with Lolikai? Mind filing us in on the details?”

“Mmm,” nods Magnus, mouth full, “Mm hmm.”

“Take your time,” she says, patting his arm, “We still have a few days before we get there.”

They eat their breakfast while watching the kids. Some are quiet, sitting under trees with their legs tucked up, under their chins. Plucking at the grass. Looking (rightfully) solemn. Some are angry and have to be constantly supervised, like Rangi who throws rocks and shoves other kids if no one is looking. But Magnus can understand the frustration, considering everything they’ve been through. A little compassion for kids like Rangi will go a long way.

Many are just kids. Perhaps they don’t realize the gravity of their situation or they’re just happy to be free. Perhaps play and laughter are just the way they cope. They run around, tagging one another and hiding and seeking as if there isn’t anything wrong with the world.

As if they haven’t lost everything.

Magnus glances at his compatriots. He can see Rangi in Taako. That need to lash out and be cold and hurtful when he’s in pain. And in Lup, he sees the sulkers. The ones hiding under trees. Or in her case, her room. Departing alone to sort through their pain. And Magnus sees the rest in himself. The ones that are quick to forgive and ready to hop back onto their feet in an instant.

He recalls what Taako had told him about not being himself. Sitting there, eating breakfast, watching the kids sulk and fight and play, he makes the conscious decision to get back on his feet. He’s the one who has to be strong. He’s the one who rushes in so that his friends don’t have to.

Magnus Burnsides doesn’t fight because he’s ready to die. He fights to win.

“Finished already?” asks Taako, motioning to Magnus’ empty plate. 

“Yeah, that really hit the spot, Taako. Thanks.”

Taako begins to clear away the cooking gear whilst Lup tends to Magnus’ wounds. She cleans them and dresses them up, patting his good shoulder when he’s all done.

“So about the ship…” she says.

“Right,” says Magnus. And then, remembering the complicated nature of the story, he sighs, “Right… Okay.”

Magnus starts from the beginning. From the moment Lup and Taako were taken away and the IPRE fled the village. He talks about their journey back to Lolikai through the rain, how it cleared up just as they arrived, and how they were cornered in the chief’s hut. He tells the twins that they were chased back to the ship where Davenport was found, wounded.

Magnus never learned the exact nature of the attack Davenport experienced because he had to leap into action. The villagers were attacking the Starblaster and someone had to watch the damn doors.

And then things had gone quiet up top so Magnus moved up to support Merle and Lucretia. Ended up doing a flying kick right off the side just as the ship was taking off.

“The Starblaster didn’t look... uhh _great_ ,” says Magnus, “The door definitely needs to be fixed and the outside took a little bit of a beating but… I mean, as long as they got away, I’m sure it’s fine.”

“They never got the Light?” asks Lup. Magnus shakes his head, much to Lup’s relief.

“It was just so weird, you know? The chief was like a totally different person. I guess I never really got to know him too well but he always seemed reserved and kind. I think he realized he had a better chance at protecting his people if he had the Light and it made him go crazy. I’d probably have done the same thing if I knew things like the Emrie were out there. Stalking the place, waiting for the chance to come in and…”

Magnus trails off, realizing how similar the situation in Lolikai is to their own situation. They’re searching desperately for the Light in hopes to keep the Hunger at bay.

The difference being they have someone like Lup on their team, willing to ensure that they don’t sacrifice entire civilizations to accomplish their goals. The chief of Lolikai doesn’t have Lup. He doesn’t have much of anyone. Just himself and his own obsessive thoughts.

Magnus pities him.

Lup stands up and starts to gather her things. The children are already prepared to go. She says, “They didn’t see us and as far as they know, you haven’t seen us, either.”

Taako says, “Yeah and we don’t have the Light so like… fuck it, right? Lup and I can just walk on in there like oh shit, where is everyone? You haven’t seen them? No biggie. Here’s some kids.”

“Basically,” replied Lup.

“I was being sarcastic, Lulu.”

“Got any better ideas?” she asks. The longer it takes Taako to reply, the more smug her grin becomes.

He waves her away as she begins to close in on him, muttering, “I’m not saying that—look, in essence, that’s probably going to be what we have to do. But there’s a real chance it’s going to get ugly if we show up and as it stands, I don’t trust _anyone_ with these kids.” With a frustrated shrug to the sky, he says, “But what choice do we have…? They’ve got nowhere else to go. And neither do we.”

Lup turns to Magnus. She says, “You gonna be okay with this? Benching this one out until we can get the kiddos all squared away?”

Magnus crosses his arms over his chest. The party begins to move with Taako leading the front. Lup and Magnus watch the children pass by before taking up the rear.

“It’s not a bad idea. As long as they don’t see me, they might try and be nice to you guys. And if you don’t have the Light, there isn’t much of a reason for them to attack you like they did to us,” says Magnus, thinking out loud more than anything.

“They _did_ attack the captain,” Lup reminds him.

“Shit, yeah,” murmurs Magnus, “I guess just be on your guard. Maybe Taako can put a spell on me in the meantime so no one will see me? And you guys can have a safe word! I 'won’t jump in unless someone says it' type thing, you know?”

From the middle of the crowd of children, Magnus hears Penina say, “Jimmy Buffett!”

Magnus spots her, staring at him over her shoulder and smiling. He gives her a wink and a thumbs up. “Oh,” he says when she takes that as an invitation to run over to him and leap into his arms. He laughs nervously, “Hey, hey, be cool!”

She hugs his neck as if she’s been waiting to do so for days. Magnus gives her a few pats on the back, smiling awkwardly as Lup raises her brows and crosses her arms, smirking.

Magnus recalls the time he spent quietly navigating the woods behind her. He remembers seeing in her face from afar a growing fear of abandonment. A fear he couldn’t assuage because he couldn’t risk being seen. She had to trust in her heart that if she screamed their safe word, he would show up. And when she did, he did. 

He remembers what she said about her aunt. How the woman ditched her niece almost immediately. And he realizes that even if she was upset with the IPRE before, he _saved_ her when no one else would. He did what Magnus Burnsides does best.

So he decides to hug her back in full, smiling warmly and telling her in a hushed voice, “Everything’s gonna be okay, Penina. I promise. All you gotta do is say ‘Jimmy Buffett’ and I’ll be there.”

Lup is chuckling, “Jimmy Buffett…? Did I miss something?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Adventure Zone's Balance Arc is ending this week, can you believe it? I wanted to get at least one more chapter out before the end. Thank you so, so much for your support and especially to those who have helped in my time of need. Again, we are moving at the end of this month so every little bit helps. Check me out on Tumblr @themonsterghost for more information.
> 
> Thank you a thousand times! We're nearing the conclusion of this massive undertaking so hang tight and as always, let me know what you think!


	17. Don't Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (explicit chapter)  
> It's a new dawn. Taako wants to gets some feelings across but he doesn't want to talk about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Please read:** Hey guys! We are having to move at the end of this month and it's looking pretty tight so please consider checking me out on Tumblr @themonsterghost for more information on how you can help support me and my writing. Thank you!

It’s the last full day of their journey. The suns haven’t quite begun to rise but the horizon is glowing. Taako opens his eyes and takes a deep breath. Tilting his head up, he sees Magnus’ face. He’s peacefully asleep with an arm hanging lazily over Taako’s waist. The elf nuzzles against his chest to get comfortable and closes his eyes again.

Sunlight fills the sky, slowly but surely. Rays of light filter in through the gaps in the trees and Taako turns his head to hide his eyes in the dip of Magnus’ neck and shoulder. With a soft hum, Magnus lifts a hand and combs his fingers through Taako’s hair. They don’t need words. Not right now. Not when uncertainty hangs thick in the air.

At least there’s this. Some small shred of absolution amidst the chaos. A promise to pull them through all the ‘winging it.’ That promise to stick together and trust each other…

Taako presses a kiss to Magnus’ neck. Tiredly, Magnus turns his head to return the gesture, kissing Taako’s forehead. A few minutes pass and the birds begin singing as morning approaches. Taako sits up and Magnus opens his eyes.

There’s something magical about Taako in the light. In moonlight, he’s ethereal. In the sun, he glows. Sparkling and stunning like polished diamonds. Like his soft smile.

Magnus feels Taako tugging on his hand as he stands so he follows. Taako guides him wordlessly through the trees. Magnus can’t take his eyes off of their hands. They fit perfectly together. Taako’s fingers curl tight around his own and Magnus looks up, catching Taako smirking at him from over his shoulder. His heart skips a beat.

He doesn’t ask where they’re going, content with their togetherness. It’s a short hike to the river and Taako stops just shy of the water. He turns to Magnus and leans in, kissing him deeply without warning. Not that Magnus needed a warning; he’s happy to meet the enthusiasm.

When Taako breaks away, it feels too soon. But he’s grinning and taking a few steps back, kicking off his shoes so that his bare feet sink into the cool water.

Magnus watches as he strips his shirt and throws it onto the bank. Their eyes meet.

He opens his mouth to speak but Taako cocks a brow. So he keeps his questions to himself, grinning as he chucks his own shirt off over his head.

That’s the idea.

Taako lifts his skirt slowly, pulling it up and along the length of his body until he’s peeling it away. Magnus’ breath catches as Taako wastes no time removing his underwear along side it. 

Before Magnus has even processed what they’re doing out here, Taako is naked in front of him, backing into the river with a come-hither expression. Suddenly, the night he stumbled upon Taako in the river seems alive again. He’ll do it right, this time.

Magnus kicks off his boots and fumbles with his belt, biting back laughter as Taako giggles just a few feet away. He’s watching intently, stare raking across Magnus’ body with enough hunger to just about make him blush.

When he’s finally free of his clothes, he steps into the water where Taako is waiting patiently for him.

Then, they’re standing inches apart, Taako’s fingers gliding up Magnus’ arms. He shivers and says, “It’s uh… A little cold.”

Taako smiles, stepping closer so that he folds himself against Magnus’ chest, and says, “Then, I’ll just have to warm you up.”

Wrapping his arms around Magnus’ neck, Taako pulls Magnus down. He crushes his lips to Magnus’ and mutters, “We have to be quick.”

“We have to--?” Magnus is cut off by another kiss. No questions. Only this.

They explore the taste of one another as they steal time for themselves. Taako, trying to push away the anxiety of losing his family again. Magnus, happy to live in this precious moment. More than happy to take Taako’s shaking hands and squeeze them tight until he sighs and melts. The desperation of his kisses slows to a languid dance, deep breaths and occasional sighs and quiet, little moans.

Magnus begins to feel that warmth Taako offered, blossoming from his chest and moving outward. Downward. He holds Taako’s face and tilts his head and then Taako is clinging to his shoulders as he suddenly takes control of their kiss.

By the time they part, a string of saliva still connecting their glistening, wet lips, Taako is gasping.

“Are we doing this?” asks Magnus with a playful smile. He already knows the answer.

Taako swipes his tongue over his bottom lip and mirrors that smile.

“Might be our last chance,” says Taako.

Magnus lifts him up and carries him to the riverbank. There’s soft grass and moss there; soft enough to lay Taako down and start kissing his bare chest. They don’t have much time before the kids at camp wake up but on the other hand, they don’t want to rush. So they make every action count. Touching and kissing and murmuring sweet nothings to fill up every second they have together.

There’s a pink haze to the atmosphere that matches the dawning sky. That same haze is reflected in Taako’s eyes as they flitter between Magnus’ hand and his face. Waiting anxiously as Magnus sucks on his own fingers and then moves his hand between Taako’s legs. Two fingers slip inside easily but moving them proves to be slightly more difficult.

“Relax,” Magnus breathes, kissing Taako’s neck. The elf whimpers, clutching Magnus’ arms and spreading his legs wide. A large, calloused hand wraps around Taako’s already fully erect cock and he shudders.

“Magnus, please…”

“Not yet,” says Magnus, “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“It… it won’t hurt,” Taako hesitantly replies. Magnus shakes his head and kisses Taako’s forehead. His eyelids. His nose.

“It will.”

Taako chews on his bottom lip, now rocking gently against the fingers moving in and out of him in intervals. “It’ll be rough but… I want it to be. I just want to feel you, Magnus. Please.”

How can he argue? Magnus cups Taako’s face and gives him a deep kiss, groaning as Taako slicks his cock with a silvery, magical lubricant. Again, not the best use of magic but Magnus isn’t about to complain.

Taako braces himself, propping himself up on one arm while his free hand clings to the scruff on the back of Magnus’ neck. He tilts his head back with a groan as Magnus rocks his hips forward and slips inside.

“Slow… slow…” Taako murmurs. Magnus does as he’s told, bracing himself on one arm and holding Taako with the other. His hand is pressed flat against the middle of his back, strong and firm enough for Taako to forego holding himself up. He wraps both arms around Magnus’ neck, kissing and nipping blindly at his collar.

“Are you good…?” asks Magnus, quietly.

Taako’s face is flushed, almost feverishly warm to the touch. He moves away from Magnus’ collar in order to kiss the corner of his mouth and look him in the eye. 

“Yeah… Just peachy, my dude. But how’s about you get to work, huh? We don’t got all day.”

They exchange smiles and Magnus growls mischievously, “If you say so.”

He thrusts and Taako yelps. He thrust again and Taako falls back into the grass, arms over his head and arching into Magnus’ hips. They set the pace, hard and fast, and Taako cries out, tearing at the moss and grass under his nails.

This closeness is all he’s wanted. Everyone else is wrapped up in what needs to be done; in getting the Light, in stopping the Hunger, in studying new planes. But Taako just wants to know there’s something worth fighting for. He wants a home to go back to. He wants a family to fall back on and people who will never abandon him. He wants to be _loved_ , damn it all.

Lup is his everything. She gives him all of that in spades. But here, clinging to the man who risked his neck to come find him against all odds, Magnus is enough. He’s enough to know that some sacrifices are worth making, that there’s still hope in the universe, and that there might just be people who consider him family.

Not just because they don’t have a choice. But because they genuinely care.

Tears streak down Taako’s cheeks and his breath is stolen away as Magnus kisses him in response. He’s answering the roll of Taako’s hips, slowing the pace but bucking into him _hard_. Taako’s entire body shudders with each thrust, punctuated by sharp moans, growing higher and higher in pitch. 

It’s easy to act like the slight pain of their sloppy prep work is the reason he’s sobbing.

Taako can see the concern developing in Magnus’ face as the tears continue to fall. He doesn’t want to have a conversation. This _is_ his conversation. This impromptu, almost wordless, semi-emotional fuck in the woods is supposed to tell Magnus everything.

And perhaps it does. Rather than stop, Magnus curls forward, sliding an arm under Taako’s neck and carding his fingers into the elf’s hair with his free hand. They embrace, Magnus holding Taako to his shoulder by the grip on his hair and Taako dragging his nails down Magnus’ back.

Taako attempts to speak but the only sound to come out is a staggered whimper. It’s enough to get the point across; Magnus holds him tighter and fucks him faster, humming in approval when Taako begins to stroke himself. 

“Are you close?” he asks.

Taako’s eyes are pinched shut and his lip is quivering. Sweat and tears are streaming down his face. Magnus kisses away the salty trails and Taako nuzzles against him, still gasping upon each thrust.

“D-don’t stop…” he manages to say between breaths. 

Magnus grunts in reply. He maintains his steady, brutal pace, pounding into Taako and kissing at the corner of his mouth so he can continue to gasp and moan and cry.

“Taako…” he groans.

The elf clings tight, still stroking himself with quick, light jerks. He murmurs, “Please.”

Magnus’ pace becomes erratic and he all but crushes Taako against him. The elf is tight around him in all places, clinging to his shoulders and legs wrapped around his waist and toes curling, nails clawing, teeth biting… Magnus groans as Taako’s teeth leave a sizeable mark at the base of his neck.

With a shocked gasp, Taako jolts off of the grass and goes still. Magnus doesn’t relent; he sits back to hold Taako’s thighs and watch his face as his orgasm slams into him like a speeding truck. He’s wet with river water and sweat and tears, his hair sticking to his face and spread out beneath him.

Absolutely beautiful. Magnus moans and his thrusts stutter to a stop, buried deep in Taako as he comes. The elf reaches out and Magnus quickly takes his hand. Their fingers lace and squeeze as each of them ride out their respective climaxes.

Still shuddering, Taako finally goes limp and rests his free arm over his eyes. They’re puffy and wet and he tries to rub the tears out of them before Magnus can get a closer look.

Unfortunately for him, Magnus has been watching him like a hawk. He moves Taako’s arm away and kisses at his cheeks, brushing his thumbs over the elf’s closed eyes.

Taako is thankful he doesn’t ask about it. He simply says, “I missed you, Taako.”

And Taako smiles, wrapping his tired arms around Magnus’ neck to hold him to his chest. “I missed you, too.”

Huh. He’d thought he’d have a quip for that one. But no. Something about the impending danger is bringing out his genuine side.

Magnus sits up slowly and Taako follows his line of sight down to his ass. With a smirk, Taako opens his legs wide and runs his fingertips down Magnus’ abs.

“I think we’re due for a quick bath. Gotta look good when we’re dumping a bunch of kids into a murder cult village,” says Taako.

“They’re not a murder cult. They’re just a bunch of dicks,” replies Magnus.

“Back stabbing dicks,” confirms Taako. He hums as Magnus rubs a thumb over his hole. Warm cum runs down between his thighs and he bites his lip to stifle a moan at the sight of it. Magnus is watching keenly, massaging tight circles around his ring and gathering his own cum between his fingers.

Taako gives him a coquettish grin and asks, “Having fun?”

“With you? Always,” says Magnus.

He lifts Taako up and carries him back to the water. Once he’s in waist-deep, he carefully lowers Taako down and they separate, washing themselves quickly and thoroughly.

Magnus is already pulling his shirt on by the time Taako leaves the river and goes to gather his clothes. “Just wanna say, my man, that was pretty great considering we’re in the middle of some fuckin’ woods,” says Taako, shimmying his panties up his legs.

Without doubt, Magnus knows he’s been caught staring. He clears his throat and adjusts his belt.

He says, “Yeah, I mean… When the opportunity presents itself, you know? Cause we might not get a chance later so…”

Taako’s hand on his forearm catches Magnus’ attention. Taako says, gently, “I know you’re worried about them. I am, too. Like, let’s be real, if they don’t get the ship space-ready soon, we’re fucked.” Taako pauses to laugh as if he isn’t terrified. “But we’ve gotten out of tighter scrapes before. And if I’ve learned anything from you, Magnus? It’s to…”

He hesitates.

He continues, “It’s to trust them. Whatever happens down here… it’s going to be over soon. And we’ll be showing off your new beignet-making skills before you know it.”

Magnus beams, making Taako feel a swell of warmth. He’s soon crushed in a bear hug, awkwardly patting Magnus’ back as he murmurs, “Thanks, Taako.”

“No problemo, Mags, but uh… Can I get dressed now?”

Magnus holds him tighter and Taako chuckles before squirming his way free.

“You’re too good at that,” says Magnus, “I wasn’t even going easy on you.”

Taako pulls his skirt up and says, “Oh, I know. I’m just more nimble than you are strong, that’s all.”

Magnus isn’t sure whether to agree or feel offended.

 

It’s only half a day’s walk to Lolikai. As they approach, Magnus is surprise to find Taako holding his hand and squeezing tight. When he looks to Taako’s face, he can see the usual care-free expression but…

It’s not as natural. There’s a stiffness to his lip, a sternness in his gaze, stress in his brow and his shoulders… He’s nervous. Magnus rubs his thumb over Taako’s hand and whispers, “Hey. It’s gonna be alright.”

Taako glances at him with a side-eye, unconvinced.

Lup catches up to them and says, “Alright. One more time: what’s the plan?”

“I’m going to cast Invisibility on Magnus,” says Taako, “And he’s going to follow us from a distance while we make our way over to Chief Go-Fuck-Himself.”

Magnus interjects, “I’ll be close enough to you guys that I can step in any time. Just say the safety word and I’ll come out. Otherwise, I’ll assume you have it under control.”

“Yes, good,” says Taako, “And uh… I mean, other than that, we’re flying blind, here. I think we just need to play it by ear, tread carefully, you know, don’t step on any toes… Should be fine.”

Lup cackles under her breath, hiding her smile behind her hand. “Oh, boy,” she says, “We’re going to fuck this up so bad. Okay! If that’s the plan, I’m down. Let’s make sure these little dinguses got a place to chill and then, assuming we get out of this alive, go look for the Starblaster. Sound good?”

Taako and Magnus nod in agreement. Close enough to Lolikai that they can smell the saltwater, Taako cloaks Magnus in Invisibility.

“Let’s get this one right,” says Taako. Invisible lips press against his own and he giggles, shoving at an unseen chest.

“Stay safe,” says Magnus. And then he’s gone. It’s shocking how good he is at sneaking around, carrying all of that equipment. Taakos wonders, briefly, if Magnus would ever consider going rogue. Not that they have time for petty theft in their line of work but it would definitely help in getting the drop on some thugs, for sure.

“Is that where we’re going?” asks one of the children.

“Sure is,” says Lup, “So I want all of you on you _best_ behavior. That means _you_ , Rangi.”

She ruffles his hair as she singles him out. To her delight, he smiles at her as he bats her hand away. Lup asks, “Are you excited?”

He says, “I miss my parents. And my big brother.”

Lup lays a hand on the back of his head. Gentle and understanding. She says, “I know how hard it is to be away from your family, Rangi. Trust me, I do. That’s why I hold onto what I’ve got as tight as I can. My brother means the _world_ to me. Everyone here? They’re just like you and they’re going through the same thing you are. You’re all brothers and sisters now so I want you to promise you’ll take care of each other, okay?”

She stops walking and he looks up at her. Lup says, “Can you promise me you’ll take care of them, Rangi?”

His gaze drops to his feet and he nods. Lup ruffles his hair again before rejoining the moving party, Rangi on her heels.

There’s a break in the trees, bright with the light of the two suns high in the sky. And just outside the clearing is the village of Lolikai, as seemingly peaceful as ever.

Lup walks alongside Taako, nudging him in the side and giving him a reassuring wink. “Don’t look so serious,” she says.

“Me? Serious?” says Taako, sounding scandalized, “ _Never._ ”

So he says but after Lup gives him another nudge, he visibly relaxes.

With a deep breath, they leave the woods and enter the village outside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Adventure Zone's Balance Arc is officially over but I'm still working on this fic haha Wow, it's been one hell of a journey, you guys. I'm happy to keep producing content for this fantastic show and I can't wait to see where they go next.
> 
> Thank you so, so much for your support and especially to those who have helped in my time of need. Again, we are moving at the end of this month so every little bit helps. Check me out on Tumblr @themonsterghost for more information.
> 
> Thank you a thousand times! We're nearing the conclusion of this massive undertaking so hang tight and as always, let me know what you think!


	18. Divine Rain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lup and Taako get a lesson in history. They decide to phone a friend.  
> (plot-heavy chapter!)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Please read:** Hey guys! We are having to move at the end of this month and it's looking pretty tight so please consider checking me out on Tumblr @themonsterghost for more information on how you can help support me and my writing. Thank you!

Lup leads the pack, Taako right behind her and twenty-three children on their heels. Before they can reach the village, the witch appears. She stands on the edge of town, regarding the incoming party with a kind expression. Lup stands a few feet away from her, holding out her arm to keep the children from getting any closer.

“Welcome back,” says the witch, “I see you’ve brought many bright faces with you… But where is your family?”

Lup and Taako glance at one another feigning surprise. The hustle has begun.

They turn back to the witch and Taako says, “What… what do you mean? They’re not here?”

The witch’s staff lowers and she solemnly shakes her head. Taako clutches Lup’s jacket sleeve, giving it a tug. “You said you saw them getting away, Lulu… You said they’d be here!”

She lays her hand over his gently and says, “I know, Taako. I’m sorry… I just…” Lup waves her free hand in the direction of the children gathered around them. “I couldn’t leave them behind.”

Taako turns away, covering his lips and furrowing his brow. Lup says, “We were attacked. These kids lost everything and this is the only place I could think of where they’d be safe.”

The witch is watching carefully. She studies Taako’s expression and the faces of the children, watching silently and nervously. And for a moment, her gaze wanders off, staring at seemingly nothing at all. At long last, she replies, “We will find them a place here. It pains me to know the losses they must have endured.”

Taako takes a step forward. “What about Magnus?” he asks, his voice wavering convincingly, “What about Lucretia and Barry and…” He bites his lip, turning to Lup as if she’ll have the answers. When she shakes her head, he looks back to the witch and asks, “Did any of them make it? Have you seen any of them?”

The witch considers her words carefully before stepping aside, gesturing towards Lolikai.

“My child,” she says, “We _did_ see them. But come, we have much to discuss. And by the looks of things, these young ones could use a hot meal. Come, now.”

So far so good. They make their way into Lolikai without incident or suspicion.

At least by the witch. Villagers watch in silence as they move through town, standing aside or heading into their homes. Taako nearly trips when Penina suddenly clings to his leg. She stares at him nervously.

“It’s okay, pumpkin,” says Taako quietly, petting back her hair, “You’re all safe, now. Everything’s going to be okay.”

She keeps her grip on his leg but she smiles.

They approach the chief’s hut. Taako and Lup share a glance as the guards tense up. The witch stops them just outside and says, “My children, I hope you will understand… but due to the nature of things, you will need to relinquish your wands when speaking to our Chief. We shall return them to you once you depart.”

She holds out her hand. Taako takes a step back.

“Look, no offense,” he says, “But I think we’ve been through way more shit than _you_ for the last few weeks. If anything, _you_ guys should be the ones handing over your weapons cause I’m not handing over _jack shit_.”

“ _Taako_ ,” says Lup, already removing her wand from within her robe. Taako shakes his head defiantly.

Arms crossed over his chest, he takes another step away from the hut. “Nu uh. Nope. I don’t need to talk to anyone and I don’t need to give up the one fucking thing keeping my ass from getting killed. You go do you, Lulu. Yuck it up with the chief. Taako’s good out here.”

Lup hesitates handing over her wand. Splitting up was never a part of the plan. She stares at Taako, suddenly unsure of herself.

But he had trusted her in Emerdai whilst behind bars. He’d trusted the awful things she said she’d do in order to keep some semblance of cover. So she trusts him in return. Taking a deep breath, she leaves her wand in the witch’s hands.

“This is suitable,” says the witch, “You may speak with our Chief. In the meantime, I will discuss lodging arrangements with your brother.”

Lup chews her lip as she’s guided inside by the guards. Taako follows the witch, bringing the children along.

They move through town, still receiving the same tension from the villagers. On the edge of Lolikai, by the beach, they come across a rock pool, full of brightly colored stones and seashells and starfish. A handful of children are already there, playing under the supervision of their parents. The witch tells the children following Taako, “Have fun here, little ones. Lolikai is your home now. These are your brothers and sisters and we are your family.”

She motions to the rock pools. Half of them run straight for the beach whilst the others look to Taako, first. He gives them a nod. Then, they’re off. Penina looks over her shoulder just once before another kid drags her along.

Taako watches them with a soft smile.

“I sensed the presence of your friend when you arrived,” says the witch. Taako’s blood runs cold. He remains indifferent, staring straight ahead at the children as they play. “You already know what happened here. And yet, you came anyway.”

Taako doesn’t respond. He crosses his arms over his chest and cocks a brow at her. She returns the expression. “I may not look it but I’m older than you are, kid,” she says.

“Don’t worry. You look it,” replies Taako. The witch chuckles.

And she sighs. “I am nearing the end of my life. Twice as long as many human lives are. I’ve seen terrible things happen. I’ve seen wonderful life bloom from the ashes. I have grown very powerful and yet… so very tired. It is difficult, now, to tell the difference between a greater good and a selfish good. Sacrifices have been made so we may live this way. But there comes a point where change must be made. To continue sacrificing in order to keep the peace… is to eventually sacrifice that peace. How many must die so we may live…?”

Taako shifts his weight from one hip to the other. He says, “Listen. The jig is up, right? So let’s dial back on the rambling and get to the point cause Taako’s got other things to do today.”

Again, she chuckles, hand sliding down her staff as she leans her weight against it. “I suppose you’re right,” she murmurs, “I am just a rambling, old woman. It is simply my wish that you would forgive me for my hand in Lolikai’s silence.”

“It’s not my place to forgive you,” says Taako. He nods to the children playing in the rock pools and says, “If you really feel bad about it? You’re gonna have to break it to _them_.”

“Again—I suppose you’re right.”

Taako turns to face the village. He says, “You know. We’ve been here about a year now and I never caught your name.”

“You never asked,” says the witch, turning alongside him, “But if you’re curious, my name is quite the mouthful.”

“Try me.”

“Kahikookeakua.”

Taako blinks rapidly, shaking his head. “Okay, _what?_ You’re gonna have to hit me with that one more time, darling, I think I fell off around the twentieth syllable.”

She pats his arm with a soft laugh and begins to head back into the village. She says, “It means ‘divine rain.’ It is a name I earned but I do not feel I have truly lived up to it. I plan to change that before I perish.”

“Geeze, a little grim, don’t you think?” says Taako. She simply laughs under her breath, leaning heavily on her staff as she walks.

“I have much to tell you and very little time to do so,” she says. Her voice is quiet. Taako has to lean in to hear her. She tilts her head up as she speaks but keeps her eyes forward.

“Our Chief is a… He was a good man. A young spirit full of life. But he lost so much to the Emrie. It was years ago. And though the records have been stricken from our stories, the truth is that Emerdai was once a sister village to Lolikai. Just as Kahekili was a sister to me.”

Taako’s brows nearly shoot off of his face. He reigns in his composure and leans in closer.

“In fact, there was a time our former Chief fought alongside the Emrie, believing them to be victims. When he saw their bloodthirsty ways getting out of hand, he had to slay a dear friend to keep the peace. Our Chief saw this and grew with the belief that his father would do anything to save our village. When the truth is… He did what he had to in order to save _everyone_.”

The old woman stops just outside of the Chief’s hut, around the back where they are alone. Unseen and unheard by the guards. She waves her staff and Taako recognizes the faint glow of magic clinging to it and spreading far enough to encompass the entire village. She says, “When our former Chief passed, and his son, our Chief now, took his place… He ordered this barrier. He shut himself us away from the Emrie whilst still welcoming friends. It was peaceful for many years… But as I grow older, the barrier grows weaker. Sometimes, we would see the Emrie in the forests, scouting for our village. Coming close but never inside…”

“You don’t have to worry about that anymore,” says Taako, “We took care of them.”

“Yes,” says Kahikookeakua, “I knew the moment I felt the bond with my sister severed. I saw it in my visions. But our Chief will not hear of it. He no longer listens to me. He knows I am soon to die and therefore believes me to be of no use.”

She sinks down and pats the ground next to her. Taako sits. He listens. She says, “My magic will not keep out the evil that is on its way. While our Chief is fraught over the Emrie, a greater darkness threatens our village. Threatens the lives of the children you worked so hard to save. I have seen many roads, my child, but I know this for certain: my magic will not stop them and I will surely be consumed.”

Taako grimaces at the thought of the Hunger. His stomach twists at the thought of losing even a single one of those kids to it.

“Okay…” he murmurs, tapping an index finger to his chin, “Okay… So… your chief is off his rocker and thinks the only way he can protect this place is with the Light of Creation. But we don’t _have_ it so… What happens next?”

The witch sighs softly. She taps her staff to the hut and says, “He will try to take you as prisoners. Leave you as bait for the rest of your team to find. My child, after I saw the way he attacked your friends… I knew I could no longer stand behind him. But he does not deserve to die.”

She places her hands over Taako’s. They’re cool to the touch but the way she squeezes his fingers and looks him in the eye is warm and sincere. “You have done a great service by saving these children. But please… take your leave peacefully while you still have the chance. When my barrier falls and you have long since left this place… He will have no choice but to come to terms with the state of affairs. Perhaps, then, he will… Perhaps, then, he will finally learn. But I cannot see it beyond the end of my life. I can only hope.”

Taako squeezes her hands in return. He says, “I appreciate your honesty. And normally, I wouldn’t do this sort of thing. But you were right about one thing: I worked too damn hard to get these kids here safe and sound. I’m not about to abandon them and just ‘hope for the best.’”

The witch smiles softly and says, “I thought you might say that.”

With some effort, she rises back to her feet. “We may be able to catch glimpses of the future, of the tapestry woven by fate, but the gods work in mysterious ways, my child,” she says.

“So you don’t really know how this is going to shake out; that’s what you’re telling me?” asks Taako, dusting himself off. 

“No one knows the future for certain, dear boy. Not even Fate herself.”

Together, they make their way to the front of the chief’s hut. The witch says to the guards, “I have his wand and shall accompany him inside.”

They step aside and Taako follows her closely, keeping an eye out for any suspicious activity. After everything that happened, he isn’t willing to put his guard down for even a second.

Together, they walk to the center of the hut. There are no guards and the chief’s chair is empty. It's silent.

Kahikookeakua looks around nervously. “This… is very unsual,” she says.

“…Lup?” calls Taako, and then louder, “Lup??”

Cautiously, the witch stands in the middle of the room, examining the floor. She taps her staff to the ground and says, “…They’ve moved to… No…”

“What?” asks Taako, “Where are they…?”

With another wave of her staff, she says, “They’ve been taken to a secret and sacred place. I…” She eyes Taako up and down and then sighs in acceptance. “I will show you. But absolute secrecy is a _must_.”

She pulls aside the elegantly woven tapestry rug and taps her staff to a wooden plank three times. A door is revealed and she begins her descent down a wide set of stairs. Taako mutters, “How many secret underground passages do you people _have_.”

He follows along, gripping tight to his wand. The tunnel at the bottom of the stairs is made of clay bricks, detailed by etchings of chiefs long passed. Kahikookeakua explains as they walk, “This is the true resting place of our leaders and heroes. Although there are graves for loved ones to visit above, this is where they sleep. Side by side. It is a sacred ground that only a chosen few may enter. So… forgive my hesitation in letting you see.”

Taako rolls his eyes, “Yeah, well, forgive my uh… _uncomfortableness_ with being lead around a dark, underground cave without—“

“Who’s there?”

Taako’s ears perk at the sound of the chief’s voice, echoing from around a corner. The witch shuffles forward and says, “My dear, it is only our guest and I. He is looking for his sister and—“

The chief appears and raises a hand. The witch goes silent. “Come,” he says to Taako. The witch looks to the elf and he shrugs.

He follows the chief around the corner and into a chamber. There is only a stone bed in the middle, covered and engraved with a name that is too long for Taako to bother reading. Standing on the other side of the grave is Lup, arms crossed and smiling coolly. Taako returns the smile.

“You’re missing out on the super interesting history lesson,” says Lup.

Teasingly, Taako replies, “Oh yeah? Bet I learned more than you did.”

They stick out their tongues. The chief slams his hands against the grave, sending a booming, echoing sound through the tunnels. The siblings nearly leap out of their skins.

“This is no time for games,” he growls. “This is my Father’s resting place. _He_ is why I’ve brought you here.”

The twins stand together as the chief takes his spear in one hand and raises a torch to the wall with the other. The elves glance at one another; he doesn’t seem to know about darkvision.

The torch illuminates a story, engraved into the clay bricks. They don’t need the light or an explanation to see that it’s a story about the Emrie. Nonetheless, the chief tells them of their initial alliance. Of their betrayal. Of their slaughtering of the innocent. “Their leader was a dear friend of my Father’s. He was like an uncle to me. A godfather, even. At that age, I could not understand why we would ever turn on him… But my Father, our Chief, taught me that there is no trust to be had in outsiders. Lolikai is our home and our only responsibility. In order to keep us safe, my Father had to kill his closest friend.

“Without the power to keep Lolikai hidden from their sight, his sacrifice would be in vain. We _must_ protect our people at _all costs_. Do you understand…?”

Lup says, “That’s really fucked up, my man, and trust me, I totally get where you’re coming from. But you know, the only thing worse than bad people are the good people who don’t do anything to stop them. Holing yourself up here… it’s just gonna bite you in the ass later on.”

The chief narrows his eyes at Lup. “What do you know about making sacrifices…? About having so many lives hanging in the balance…?”

“Oh, you don’t wanna go there, my fella,” chimes Taako, wagging his finger. Lup shakes her head slowly.

Lup says, “I’m gonna tell you this one more time, big guy. We took out the Emrie. Wiped them the fuck out. You don’t have to worry about them anymore and, frankly, you should be disappointed in yourselves for not helping out your neighbors when their shit was getting wrecked. That’s beside the point; the point _is_ , if you want to protect this place, having the Light is gonna _ensure_ that doesn’t happen. Lolikai would be the _first_ to go. You don’t _know_ what it really does. Showing me your sad backstory isn’t going to change that.”

The chief slowly turns his back to them, scratching at his face as he gazes at the story etched into the clay. Lup’s ears rise up as she feels her wand being pressed into her palm. The witch stands just behind her, inconspicuously handing it off. Lup takes it and tucks it into her sleeve.

“So the kids are set, you understand the Light isn’t going to help, and the Emrie are all taken care of so _can we go, now?_ ” asks Lup dryly.

The chief faces her, his features set into a grim expression. “Kahikookeakua, take them prisoner. They won’t cooperate.”

The witch takes a few steps back. “…I won’t,” she says, softly, “I am here to protect—“

The chief bellows over her, “You’re here to do as I _say_ , you hag! Or shall I tell our new friends what you _really_ are?”

“Emrie?” asks Taako. The chief’s expression changes to one of shock, as does Lup’s. Taako glances at his nails lackadaisically. “I met her sister in Emerdai before we torched that shit. Told me everything,” he says. Only a partial lie.

“I guess they’re not all bad,” says Lup with a shrug.

“They aren’t,” replies Kahikookeakua, “Many lived in secret amongst the other villages and were likely killed by their own kind. Some may be Emrie without even realizing it.”

“ _This_ is why we need the Light!” exclaims the chief, “They will just keep coming _back!_ ”

Lup glares at the chief, then. She says, “They’re not inherently evil just because they’re born knowing how to cast some evocation magic. They learn it from shitty parents and shitty people.”

“And shitty leaders,” says Taako, “Like _you._ In fact, you keep everyone in Lolikai holed up in here, thinking and caring only about themselves long enough…”

“Eventually, they’re going to become _just like the Emrie_ ,” Lup says.

This sets the chief off. He leaps over the stone grave of his deceased father, torch falling to the ground. Taako and Lup jump back, narrowly avoiding the swing of his spear.

“I knew outsiders couldn’t be trusted,” he growls, “We offered our home to you. Our people! And this is how you thank us?! With your insolence?!”

Lup whips her wand out and casts a weak fire spell at the chief; just enough to burn his hand and knock the spear from his grasp. He howls in rage, clutching at his burning skin. “You even use their cursed magic against me in our most sacred place…?” he hisses, snatching his spear from the floor.

Kahikookeakua stands between him and the twins, raising her staff.

“Out of my way, old woman,” says the Chief.

“No,” she says, “If you strike me down or attack these children, the barrier will be destroyed and nothing will save you. _Please_ come to your senses…!”

The chief shoves her aside easily, taking long strides towards the twins as they slowly back away towards the stairs.

With a twisted smile, the chief says, “These children you brought with you… any one of them could have Emrie blood… We must do what is best for the village.”

Lup stops moving back, rage boiling up in her blood. Taako takes her hand and stands by her side.

The chief says, “With the Light, I will merely have to banish them. But without it, I must ensure the Emrie never rise again. I will have them killed. What do you have to say about _that?_ ”

Lup stands upright, lowering her wand. But her shoulders remain rigid in defiance and her expression is collected. Cocky. Taako mirrors her and, of course, he absolutely knows why.

Lup smirks and cocks her hip. “I think you might have to repeat all that,” she says, “I don’t believe my friend heard you.”

Her attitude is alarming enough that the chief has paused in his approach. He takes a step back and asks, “…What _friend?_ ”

Lup raises a brow at Taako. He rests an arm on her shoulder and says, “Jimmy Buffett.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're almost at the end!
> 
> Thank you so, so much for your support and especially to those who have helped in my time of need. Again, we are moving at the end of this month (in about 5 days!) so every little bit helps. Check me out on Tumblr @themonsterghost for more information.
> 
> Thank you a thousand times! We're nearing the conclusion of this massive undertaking so hang tight and as always, let me know what you think!


	19. QUICK UPDATE FOR YALL

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SORRY THIS ISNT A REAL CHAPTER

Hey everyone! I'll delete this later but a lot of people who were really passionate about this story have been reaching out to me, asking if I plan on finishing it. As a matter of fact, I have the next few chapters already written but I haven't had internet in a few months. I'm currently on mobile and although I could probably take my computer to a coffee shop, or someplace similar, my time has been absolutely full throughout the day. By the time I'm free, everywhere near me is closed. I hope you understand. I haven't abandoned this story and I want to thank everyone who's been following along. Your support means so much to me.

~Themonsterghost

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I'd greatly appreciate hearing what you think in the comments below. Also, consider checking me out on Tumblr [@themonsterghost](http://themonsterghost.tumblr.com) and you can also hmu on Twitter [@themonsterghost](http://twitter.com/themonsterghost). Peace!


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